Forever and Always
by mayghaen17
Summary: Part 6.  Elena and Damon have finally set the date for their wedding. Elena personally invites all of her guests, and rediscovers some things along the way.
1. Chapter 1

**a/n: Finally! This is the last installment of my Nothing Without You series. This is the wedding story I kept promising. It took me a long time to write, and I'm still not done with it yet, but I have enough to start posting. Enjoy :)**

ONE

The sound of the waves lapping at the shore outside the window combined with the light pitter-pat of rain roused me from sleep. My eyes opened to see a dark grey sky full of clouds and a soft round of rain coming down in front of the big bay window on my side of the bed. I inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent the two forms of water brought. I reached down to the floor and picked up Damon's shirt. As I slid off of the bed, I pulled the shirt on and began to button it up as I walked to the window. I stopped at the bench where I spent a great deal of time reading and looked out at the ocean. There was definitely a storm brewing. I smiled at that thought, it had been a few months since we had had a decent storm.

I heard a movement from the bed and turned to see Damon had shifted in his sleep. His arm was draped across the space that I had vacated and it made me smile even more. I made my way back to the bed and sat on the edge. I reached over to brush the hair from his face and ran my hand over his cheek. It was a rare thing; to see him sleeping. Normally he pretended to be asleep, but I could tell it was real this time. He looked so vulnerable and peaceful. It made me wonder if this was how he had looked as a human. I ran my thumb across his lips and then got to my feet again, deciding to let him rest.

I headed to the French doors on the wall adjacent to the bay window and opened them as quietly as I could. I left them open as I walked to the edge of the balcony and rested my hands on the railing. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. It felt incredibly strange to breathe being that it was something I seldom did. I watched the water crash onto the beach, wetting the sand and pulling back into the ocean once more. The rain slowly wet my skin and my hair as I continued to stare at the sea, getting lost in the tremulous water.

I jumped slightly as I felt arms circling my waist, drawing me from my thoughts. I smiled as Damon's head rested on my shoulder after placing a soft kiss on the top of my head. "You look delectable in my clothes," he whispered, his chest rumbling against my back as he spoke.

I moved my arms to cover his and leaned back against him. My thumbs absently stroked his skin as my eyes closed to fully enjoy the sensation of being in his arms. "I can't say the same about you."

He laughed at that and tightened his hold a bit. "I should hope not."

He lifted his head away from my shoulder and pulled me closer to him. I turned in his arms and put mine around his neck; my hands resting on the back of his head to bring his face closer to mine. I closed my eyes as our lips met and groaned as he grabbed my hips, lifting me up so I could wrap my legs around his waist. He turned to put my back against the exterior of the villa, a gasp escaping my lips from the rough collision. I sunk my fingers into his hair and nipped at his bottom lip the moment I felt him slide into me.

My head arched backwards only to hit the wall behind me. Damon buried his lips against my neck and suckled at the skin. My hands trailed from his hair to back where my nails raked over his flesh. My eyes fluttered as his fangs grazed my skin, wasting no time before biting down to draw blood. He groaned at the taste and increased the speed of this thrusts.

My head began to bind and my eyes squeezed shut. My nails dug into his shoulders as I bucked my hips against him as much as I could. "Damon!" I hissed as my release came; intense and earth-shattering. He buried himself all the way inside of me as I felt my insides warm up from his release. He moved his lips from my throat to my mouth and kissed me. My tongue exploded from the taste of my own blood, containing some remnants of the angel essence that had once possessed me.

Once the feeling of euphoria had dissolved, Damon stepped back and lowered me to the ground gently. "Did I ever tell you how much I love the private beach?" I asked, putting my head against his bare chest.

He stroked my back tenderly and nodded against the top of my head. "Every day."

I smiled before pulling out of his grasp and walked back into our bedroom. He followed me and shut the door, watching me remove his shirt before walking to the bathroom. I stopped just beyond the threshold and looked over my shoulder at him. "Are you coming?" I asked playfully. Before I knew it, he was gathering me into his arms and hurrying towards the shower.

* * *

After a very long morning, Damon and I sat in our living room listening to the rain and whatever was on the radio. He was sitting against the arm of the couch while I laid on my back with my head in his lap. "I've been thinking about our wedding," I said out of nowhere, earning a raised brow from him.

"It's about time," he said, his fingers playing with my hair.

"We should have it here."

"On the beach?"

I nodded and turned to lie on my side. "Of course." My eyes closed and I began to imagine how things would be set up. "I can see it now."

"Describe it."

"The waves are lapping at the sand behind the alter. The setting sun is setting; casting everything in a fiery orange glow. We're surrounded by our closest friends and family on New Years."

"Our?"

I turned my head to look at him and frowned. "You and the others might be too afraid to admit that you're friends and family, but it's the truth. Sure, they hated you in the beginning, but things have changed."

"I'm sure they-"

I groaned in frustration and sat up using my vampire speed to straddle his waist. I smiled down at him, cupping his face between my palms. "They love you because you love me and vice versa. Yes, you still have some issues, but that was the past. You've made up for all the terrible things that you've done to them."

He pretended to pout. "Terrible? I think that's debatable."

My head shook with silent laughter as I leaned down to kiss him lightly. "Anyway," I breathed, changing the subject as I pulled away from him. My hands dropped to rest on his shoulders to steady myself as I spoke. "I want to personally invite our guests to attend the wedding."

He stared at me, his eyes searching mine to see how serious I was. "When would you like to go?"

"As soon as possible," I replied quickly.

I gasped in surprise as he moved with lightening fast speed to pin me beneath him on the couch. "Does tomorrow work for you?"

My eyes widened slightly before they narrowed with suspicion. "Do you have a private jet I don't know about?" It had been meant as a joke, but his nod put a stop to the humor. "Since when?"

He grinned, "It's not exactly mine, but it belongs to a very good friend of mine. He said I could use it when I wanted. I'll talk to him later about it."

"Is it the same friend that sold you this mansion attached to a very substantial private beach?"

He nodded while brushing his lips over mine. "The very same."

I surprised him by reversing our roles, putting him beneath me. He narrowed his eyes at me, clearly unhappy that my strength had returned even though I had been very cautious not to drink from any other supernatural being; other than Damon of course. It was the only thing that had returned, leaving me to feel a bit empty inside; like I was missing a crucial part of me. "Thank you."

This time, his pout was real as I slid off of him to retrieve the phone. "What are you doing?" he asked, sitting up to watch me.

I returned with the phone and placed it in his hands before sitting next to him again. "Call your friend and make the arrangements."

"Now?"

I nodded and moved my lips to his ear. "I'll show you how much I appreciate you after it's done." I grinned as he dialed quickly and put the phone to his other ear.

He got up from the couch as he began to talk and I did the same. I headed to the bedroom to make a list of the places I needed to go. It had been five years since Damon and I had left Mystic Falls. The two of us had traveled to a few different places before settling down in Italy. Damon had purchased this mansion situated on a private beach in Italy two years ago and we had been here ever since. The beach was over ten miles long and it included an alcove at the end of it. There were no neighbors around seeing as how the closest one was another few miles away. Damon had chosen this place because we could live here for a very long time without anyone being able to notice that we didn't age. The only problem we encountered was the lack of blood supply. We had solved that problem by going into the main city once a month and getting as many blood bags as we could, taking fresh blood while we were at it.

As far as friends and family were concerned, I had contacted most of them constantly in the beginning, but at this point, I was down to talking to them once a year if I was lucky. The wedding would be a good way to bring everyone together for what could possibly be the last time. That thought, although bittersweet, was one that I had had several times before. However, this time I was intent on keeping it that way.

I looked up as Damon came back into the room. "When do we leave?"

"You leave first thing tomorrow. My friend is informing his pilot now that he is to take you anywhere you want to go and will leave at your request."

I stared at him for a moment and frowned. "Are you not coming with me?"

He crossed the room and put his arms around me, drawing me close to him. He placed a kiss on my forehead before explaining himself. "You're planning on having the ceremony this New Years, correct?"

"Mhmm," I said against his chest.

"Then I have only a few months to get you the perfect gift."

I pulled away from him and shook my head. "Damon, I don't need anything."

"I know that, but this is something that I need to do and I will be utterly embarrassed if you're there when I acquire this particular surprise."

I stared at him with curiosity. "Embarrassed? You?"

"I will catch up with you in the States after I am done. How does that sound?"

"Can I still call you while you're on this super secret mission of yours?"

He smiled lightly. "I would hope so."

"Last I heard, Jeremy and Anna were in London. Would you mind getting the suitcases while I track him down?" I asked, heading to the desk where my phone was. He left the room once more while I called Anna.

"Elena?" she asked after the first ring had been completed.

"Are you guys still in London?" I asked, getting right to the point.

She hesitated a second before answering, allowing me to hear a door close. "Yes, sorry, Jeremy was in the room. I'm assuming you don't want him to know you're on the phone with me," she stated.

I grinned at that. "Thank you. I'm flying out first thing tomorrow from Italy to surprise Jeremy. Are you still at the same place since the last time I was there?"

"Still here," she said, slightly irritated since it was Jeremy who had picked out their place. "Do you need me to pick you up?"

I shook my head even though she couldn't see me. "No, I'll probably have a car. I'll call you when I'm on my way from the airport."

"I'll see you then," she said and hung up.

I put the phone back onto the desk and scrolled through my contacts, stopping at Stefan's name. I sighed and stared at the screen. "Everything okay?" Damon asked, setting the luggage down at the foot of the bed.

"Should I invite Stefan? I know we left on good terms, but..." my voice trailed off as I looked at Damon. "He's the only family you have left," I added quietly.

He shrugged, bringing one suitcase onto the bed and opened it for me. "Frankly, I don't care, but I know he means something to you. Whatever you decide will be just fine with me."

I narrowed my eyes at him, sensing something was off from the way he hadn't met my eyes as he said that. I shrugged it off and headed to the closet to begin packing. "How long do you think you'll be gone?" I asked as he started helping me.

"It won't take me too long to do once I track it down."

I squashed the rising curiosity within me and continued packing. "Alright, as long as you promise not to leave me alone for too long."

He stopped to kiss me and then smiled down at me. "I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

"Am I ever going to meet this _friend_ of yours?" I asked Damon as we loaded our things into the back of the cab that would take us to the private hanger.

"He might be there to see us off, he might not." Before I could ask anything else, Damon greeted the man who would be driving the cab. "This is his personal assistant, Lucian. He'll be escorting you."

I looked between the two men. "I don't need an escort."

Lucian smiled and bowed to me. "Don't worry, Miss. I'm not going to follow you where ever you go, I am simply there to acquire anything that you might need and take care of your travel arrangements. My master promised Mister Salvatore that you would receive the best treatment."

"Your master?"

"I'll explain that part on the way there," Damon assured me and finished loading things into the trunk.

I nodded and extended my hand towards Lucian. Instead of shaking it, he brought the back of my hand to his lips and then released it. "Nice to meet you. I'm-"

"I know who you are Miss Gilbert. My master makes it a point to know his clients and his friends. Damon told him a great deal about you."

My eyes went wide as I looked at Damon. "I was under the impression that you didn't have any friends."

"Not human ones."

"And why haven't you told me about him before?"

I noticed Damon shift uncomfortably and the smile that was plastered on Lucian's face. Obviously the two had known each other for quite some time because the new comer was loving the fact that Damon wasn't in control. "We'll talk in the car," he repeated and moved to open the door for me.

Lucian chuckled to himself as he returned to the driver's seat. I slid into the back seat and waited for Damon to round the car and get in. "Spill," I demanded as we began to drive.

"You're really angry that I have friends?"

"Of course not. I'm just a little hurt that you felt like you couldn't tell me about them."

"I'm still working on the feelings thing."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Damon, it's been seven years since we first got together. That excuse doesn't work anymore."

He sighed put his head back against the seat. "I don't know why I didn't tell you. Maybe I thought it would be awkward."

"How? I talk to Bonnie about us, you should be able to talk to someone too. It would be awkward if you were talking to Stefan." I smirked at him and put my hand on his thigh. "I'm not going to think of you as any less of a dangerous vampire if you have a friend."

Jackpot. That seemed to be what was worrying him, judging from his reaction. "It's not like it should matter anyway. People already know that I'm whipped."

I laughed as I moved in to kiss him. "And don't you forget it." When I pulled away, I turned to rest my back against the door. "Now, explain this whole 'master' thing."

He was silent for a little bit, trying to find the right way to explain the concept to me. "Most vampires don't have these nifty little trinkets to protect them from the sun. While they don't need to sleep in coffins or anything during the day, they still don't come out. Most took to sleeping in the day and coming out at night; just like all the legends. Because of the odd sleep cycle, most vampires would compel or hire people to take care of things for them during the day. Since too much compulsion leads to scrambled brains, most vamps hired. They pay an extraordinary amount of money and usually the eldest child takes over when the former assistant becomes too old."

"Oh," I replied, thinking it over. "That sounds reasonable." I tilted my head to the side. "So does that mean Lucian's master can't walk in the sun?"

"He can."

"Then why does he need an assistant?"

Damon shrugged. "Why not? He's very old, has lots of money; an assistant makes perfect sense. He may have incredible powers, but he can't be in two places at the same time. Lucian still gets paid and he's very good at what he does."

"So, if this man is very old and wealthy as you say, why is he friends with you?"

Damon smirked. "I was the one that helped him obtain his talisman."

"Does he have a name?"

"Simon."

I could only stare at him. "Simon?"

"Why does that surprise you?"

"Because..." I started. "The way you talk about him made him seem... I don't know, that name wasn't what I expected. His assistant has a more creative name."

"It's just a name," he returned, amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"Yeah, but...still," I finished softly and smiled at him. "So..." I started, letting my eyes flicker to the partition set up between the back of the cab and the front. "Lucian is human?"

"You can't tell for yourself?"

"I can, I just want to make sure. In case something happens."

His lips pressed together in a thin line. "Are you sure you have to see Lockwood in person to invite him?"

I nodded. "It seems fair. He's risked his life plenty of times for both of us. It wouldn't be right to invite the others personally but not him."

He sighed. "I know you've been good without supernatural blood, but being around him..."

"It might be different this time. We don't know how supernatural blood will affect me. It could do nothing at all."

"It could give you your powers back."

"Would that be so bad?" I countered. I saw him hesitate, trying to answer the question without making me angry. "It feels like a part of me is missing without them."

"I know," he replied and reached for my hand. "I've seen you stare at objects, trying to get them to move. I've even seen you stare at people, trying to hear their thoughts. But having powers led you to Anya and that led you to death. Yes, you came back, but-"

"Nothing is going to happen to me," I interrupted and moved quickly so I was straddling him. I cupped his face and smiled down at him. "I will do my best to keep my distance from Tyler and all the other wolves. Visiting Bonnie won't be a problem. All the witches drink vervain anyway."

His eyes narrowed and the corners of his lips tugged into a smirk. "What do I have to do in return for this promise?"

"Tell me where you're going," I demanded playfully.

"Nope."

"Then I guess I'll be having wolf for dinner," I teased and cried out in surprise as he surged forward to pin me beneath him on the bench. It was cramped, but he managed to do it. "I'm kidding," I breathed as I looked up at him.

"I know," he returned and bent forward to claim my lips.

The car came to a stop, earning a heavy sigh from Damon and me before he pulled back and we sat up straight. The middle of the partition lowered and Lucian turned around to smile at us. "We have arrived."

"Thank you," Damon said as we both opened our doors.

There were two men who were already unloading our bags from the trunk and putting them on the plane. "Oh, not that one," I said and pulled one of Damon's bags from the man. "He's not coming with me."

"Yes I am," Damon said and handed the bag back to the attendant.

"I thought-"

"I can say goodbye to you in London," he assured me and pulled me close while the other three men did what they were supposed to be doing. "Besides," he whispered in my ear. "It might be fun to join the mile high club."

I shuddered and stepped away from him. "What about Lucian?" Damon tipped his head to the man in question. I did a double take at the sight of him in a pilot's uniform. "Seriously?" I asked.

"That's why he's going with you," Damon informed me and grabbed my hand to pull me onto the plane.

I stopped once I saw the interior of the plane. There was enough room for ten passengers, the seats lining the edges of the space. There was even a bar complete with couches in the back. "Wow."

"It's all for you and Mister Salvatore," Lucian said from behind me as he stepped onto the plane and began shutting the door. "Enjoy your flight," he added and then headed into the pilot's cabin.

"I thought two pilots were needed to fly a plane," I said.

Damon shrugged, "Not a small jet like this."

I looked around. "Um, nothing about this is small."

"It qualifies."

I smiled and headed to the bar. I poured Damon his usual glass of scotch and then thought about what I wanted. "So why are you coming with me?" I asked, finally having decided on what to make for myself.

"I already told you," Damon said, coming up from behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Other than that."

He nuzzled my neck and then rested his chin on my shoulder. "Because I can."

"Try again."

He sighed and I felt myself begin to smile. "Fine. I'm coming with you because I want to see your brother and Anna."

I turned around and smirked at him. "Was that so hard?"

"Yes."

I reached up to kiss him. "So my brother grew on you after all."

He shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "It's not like I had a choice. He'll be in my life forever. Thanks to you."

I laughed softly and pulled him in for another kiss. I had intended to be playful and cut it short, but Damon tightened his hold and lifted me so I was sitting on the bar. My legs wrapped around his waist while my fingers sunk into his hair. As his lips trailed down my throat, the plane began moving as it turned towards the runway. "Maybe we should buckle up."

"We'll be fine," he said gruffly and moved his lips back to mine.

My second attempt at protest died in my throat as his hands slid up my thighs, beneath the hem of the white sun dress I had decided to wear. It was ridiculous how much we made love even after all this time. It had been seven years and we still couldn't keep our hands off of each other. Almost everything we did led to passionate trysts, no matter where we were. Yet, neither of us were really complaining.

I hissed as he tugged my underwear from me. It was very hard to keep lingerie for more than a week with a man like Damon. I was constantly buying new ones. He was getting better, after I retaliated by ripping one of his designer shirts to shreds.

I pulled him closer by tightening my legs and groaned at the feel of his arousal against my core. As he reached between us to free himself, the plane began to gain speed, indicating that we were on the runway and in the process of taking off. It was hard to remain on the bar because of the g-force that was demanding I move with it. Damon, having pushed his jeans down enough, grabbed my hips and brought me to the edge of the bar. At the same time he slipped inside of me, he turned and spun around. The next thing I knew, my back slammed against the wall and he drove himself in to the hilt from the force of take off.

Damon went deep with each thrust, his hands digging into my hips hard enough to leave bruises despite my rapid healing ability. I held onto his shoulders and kissed him wildly. As the plane turned to the side to adjust, we went with it. My back landed on one of the couches; Damon landing on me. My back arched as my head began to bind, my fingers clutching at his hair. I urged him to go faster with breathy moans and cried out in ecstasy as his fangs slid into throat; throwing both of us over the brink and into oblivion.

As we came down, Damon collapsed on top of me and smirked. "Welcome to the mile high club."

I grinned and used my speed to invert our positions. "I don't think we're there yet," I murmured and leaned down to kiss him.

"Me neither," he returned, letting his fingers dive into my hair. "I guess we'll just have to keep at it."

I laughed in agreement and reached down to guide him into me.

* * *

When the plane landed in London a few hours later, Damon retrieved my bags and brought them onto the plane so that I could change. Lucian took the rest of the luggage and put it into the car while he waited. "It's a good thing we didn't rip a hole through the plane. I don't think Simon would have appreciated it that much," I teased as I followed Damon to the car.

I had ditched my dress, now that it sported blood on the straps, for jeans and a teal blue shirt with a silver fleur de lis on it. Damon frowned when he turned around. "I liked the dress better."

"That's what you get when you bite me and spill blood on a white dress," I said and grabbed his hand. "Come on, I want to see Jeremy," I added. It was strange to think that Jeremy would still be exactly the same even after five years had passed. It would be strange every time I saw him as more time went by. I pushed the thought aside for now and began pulling Damon towards the car where Lucian had the door open for me. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Madame."

"Please, call me Elena."

Lucian smiled and shook his head. "As you wish," he replied and shut the door after I slid inside. Once he and Damon had taken their seats, I gave Lucian the address and we began driving.

"Maybe you should call Anna and tell her we're on the way."

"She knows I'm coming," I said. "All the better if I can surprise her too."

"Good luck with that," he said sarcastically.

"Was it ever weird for you? Seeing Stefan after decades and neither of you looking any different?"

A wistful smile appeared on his lips. "I wouldn't say he always looked the same."

I slapped him playfully. "I'm not talking about clothes and hairstyles."

He grinned and then gave me a serious answer. "Even though we never aged, I was able to tell Stefan was getting older. It was the same way you knew something was off about him. You were able to sense the old soul within him; that his experience didn't quite match up with his age, weren't you?"

I nodded while I thought back to when I had first met Stefan. "I guess. He never did feel like a typical teenager. There was always a sense of wisdom about him that was older than his looks."

"To answer your other question, yes, it is strange for the first several decades. The shock of seeing someone never grow old will ease with time." He reached for my hand and laced his fingers with mine. "You may think you understand the concept of mortality, but I can assure you that it will not become reality until you experience the first death of someone you love."

"How did you deal with it?"

"The only person I cared about became immortal like me. I never had to deal with mortality until I met you." I watched as the pain settled into his features. "Watching Velken kill you was the worst thing I've ever been through."

"But I wasn't mortal at the time."

"I know, but you died just the same. You weren't supposed to come back."

Then I understood. Damon was coming with me to London because he didn't want to let me out of his sight any more than he had to. He was afraid that he would lose me again. "Damon, I'm not going to die again."

"How do you know?"

I stared at him for a moment and then sighed. "I don't, but you can't keep dwelling on it. I don't have anyone after me this time around. We don't have any enemies. We're going to live for eternity. I promise." As I said this, I moved closer to him and felt security as his arms wrapped around me to hold me close.

The rest of the car ride was silent. The next time sound filled our ears was when Lucian lowered the partition and announced that we were at Jeremy's flat. "Shall I send your things up?"

Damon shook his head. "Take them to the hotel," he answered.

Lucian nodded, leaving me to assume that they already had the hotel accommodations made. "What will you be doing while we're in London, Lucian?" I asked as I opened my door to get out.

"I have other business to attend for my master. Mister Damon has my number should you need anything. Call me when you wish to move to the next place and we will go."

I inclined my head to him and slid out, leaning down so I could see him. "Thanks."

"You are most welcome, Madame."

I smiled, realizing he was never going to call me by name. I waved and shut the door. Damon stood by my side as Lucian drove away. I turned to face the large apartment building and then looked at Damon. "Time to surprise Jeremy."

As we walked into the lobby, Damon let out a low whistle. "I can't imagine Anna's thrilled with the idea of living so close to this amount of humans."

"She's not," I replied as we headed to the elevator that led straight to the penthouse suite. Jeremy had purposely picked that out because it had a great view of the city. The skyline at night lit up the room since the walls were mostly windows. "I don't think Jeremy cares about blending in right now."

Damon snorted, "Obviously."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, I can't let you take this elevator. It's not for public use," a man wearing a security uniform said as he hurried to stop us.

"I'm here to see the residents of the penthouse."

"They haven't said anything about guests."

I smiled and stepped closer to him, holding his gaze with mine. "We're trying to surprise them. Anna told you about us and she said to let us up when we arrived."

There was a moment of blank staring and then he nodded. "Right this way," he said and led the two of us to the elevator.

"Thank you," I said as the doors closed.

Once we began our ascent, Damon shook his head and laughed. "I love it when you do that."

I giggled as he pulled me to him. "I know," I said and pulled his lips down to mine.

I pulled back and rested my head on his chest while we waited for the elevator to reach the top. When it did, I pulled away and stepped into the apartment. No sooner did the elevator doors close behind us did I find myself pinned to the wall, Jeremy's hand wrapped around my throat. I grinned and waited for recognition to hit him. "Elena?" he hissed and let his fangs retract.

"Hello Jeremy," I replied and pulled him into a hug when he let go of my throat.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

"What are you doing here?" he asked me as he returned my hug, squeezing me with all his strength. Had I been human, he would have snapped me in half.

"Surprise," I answered and laughed as Anna walked into the room. She leaned against the wall close to Damon and smiled at the sight of Jeremy and I.

Jeremy sensed her and let me go to turn around. "You knew she was coming didn't you?"

She inclined her head. "She asked me not to tell you."

Jeremy looked at Damon who shrugged. "Women," he said casually.

"Hey, you're the one going on some secret mission."

I watched as he and Anna exchanged a knowing glance. As I opened my mouth to ask if she knew, Damon was in front of me, covering my lips with his fingers. "Elena and I have an announcement," he said quickly.

I narrowed my eyes at him for a moment and sighed. Only then did he let his hand drop to twine his fingers with mine. Anna smirked lightly as Jeremy moved to stand beside her. "Well, it's not pregnancy," she stated. Damon and I stared at her with a straight face. "Is it?" she asked quietly, her eyes widening in alarm.

Unable to hold back my smile any longer, I shook my head. "God no. Can you imagine a little Damon running around? It's bad enough with one of them."

"Hey!" Damon shouted playfully as Anna and I both laughed. "You're not exactly easy to deal with either," he returned, pulling me into his arms.

I laughed softly as he kissed me, laughing harder as Jeremy made a sound of disgust. "Dude, gross. That's my sister."

Anna shook her head as Damon released me. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Starving," I answered. I had forgotten to eat before leaving Italy.

"Hey wait, I thought you said you had an announcement," Jeremy said.

I grinned and nodded at him. "As you know, we're engaged."

Jeremy snorted as Anna said, "Yeah, as you have been for the past five years."

"Let me finish," I demanded, pretending to be hurt. I smiled brightly at the two of them before continuing. "Well, we finally set a date. It will be New Year's Eve at sunset on our private beach in Italy."

Jeremy's jaw dropped and Anna's eyes widened. It was strange, considering she was hard to impress. "Private beach?" she said at the same time Jeremy whined, "How come you haven't invited us over before?"

Damon answered them for me. "I'm only letting you all stay there for Elena's sake. I haven't invited you because it's _private _for a reason."

Jeremy's lip curled in disgust again. "Okay, enough with the images."

"So would that be okay with you guys? We have plenty of room for everyone to be guests at the villa. I'm making rounds, personally inviting everyone up. I'll have more details soon."

"We would be honored," Anna said and came forward to hug me. We both froze; the action was very unlike her. As she pulled away, she looked at Jeremy and Damon. "Alright, now can we get something to eat?"

"You don't have blood bags?" Damon asked. "Hunting for the four of us can be tricky."

"Not if you hit the right places," Jeremy said proudly.

Damon and I both exchanged a glance. "What exactly does that mean?" Damon asked.

"It means that there is one hell of a nightlife in London and since the clubs are packed, it makes finding prey fairly easy," Anna explained. "But Damon's right," she said, making Jeremy utterly disappointed. "I think we should split up. This gives you and Elena time to catch up."

_And gives you time to talk to Damon about whatever it is that I'm not supposed to know_, I thought, but kept the smile on my face. "Sounds like a good plan to me," I said.

Damon kissed my forehead before heading to the elevator. "We'll meet here and then go back to the hotel."

"There's plenty of room for you here," Jeremy said as the doors closed behind us.

"While I appreciate the offer, it's much easier for the two of us to get a hotel room," I answered, trying my best to keep from smirking.

His nose wrinkled as did Anna's. "Thank you for sharing _way_ too much," Jeremy muttered.

"You're welcome," I teased and watched as he started tapping his fingers on the wall behind him.

Once the doors opened to the lobby, Jeremy bolted from the elevator, earning stifled laughs from the thee of us. "Have fun," Anna said to me, giving me a small smile.

"Thanks, you too," I replied and waved goodbye to her and Damon before heading outside to find Jeremy. "Alright, where to?"

His eyes darkened slightly; had I been human, I wouldn't have been able to notice it. "I have the perfect place in mind."

"No clubs," I said sternly.

His jaw fell and I could detect the beginnings of a pout. "Why not?"

"Because I'm not a normal vampire. While the effect of a drugged up human might only make you feel tipsy, it might do something drastic like kill me. It doesn't help that the drugs mask the scent of supernatural blood. Damon would _kill_ you if I ingested any of that on your watch."

Jeremy nodded slowly with disappointment radiating off of him. "Alright, so much for that plan," he mumbled. "Would it really be so bad if you got your abilities back?"

"No," I said slowly, trying to think of how to explain it to him without making Damon sound jealous and controlling. "It's just...well, how would you feel if Anna could overpower you?"

"She's almost six hundred years older than me," he returned.

"Oh. Right." I bit my lip while I tried a different approach. "Alright, well it's a guy thing I guess. He's older, he should be faster and stronger, but he's not. He tries not to feel jealous, but I can tell that he does."

"It's not like you would use it on him," he said and made gagging noises as he saw me try to hide my smile. "Good God, do you two do _anything_ else?"

"We-" I started but was interrupted by Jeremy's hands waving in front of my face.

"Please don't answer that."

I laughed and nodded my head. "As much as I love catching up, I think we should eat first. I wasn't kidding when I said I was starving."

Jeremy nodded and extended his hand towards me. "Follow me." The moment I put my hand in his, we sped off into the crowd in search of our next meal.

* * *

The next day, Damon and I went back to the penthouse. This time, Damon suggested that he get some time alone with Jeremy. I was starting to get suspicious. Something about the way the three of them kept speaking with their eyes told me that my brother and his girlfriend were in on whatever surprise Damon was planning. It was times like these when I truly wanted my ability to read minds back.

Once Damon and Jeremy had left, Anna and I decided to do some shopping. "So..." Anna started once we had entered the first store.

"Yes?"

Her eyes met mine, letting me know that what she was about to say was completely serious and sincere. "I know this might be a little late or completely unnecessary, but I need to apologize to you."

We both knew I had already forgiven her, but we had never really talked about it. "Anna-"

"Just here me out," she demanded and I nodded. "Much like Stefan and Damon, my first reaction to seeing you was thinking that you were Katherine. Jeremy was the only real Gilbert in town, or so I thought, so using his blood to revive my mother seemed like the perfect form of revenge on your family. I can't say that I regret what I did; I really was only thinking of getting my mother out. But now that Jeremy and I are together, I just need to apologize out loud."

I reached out and put my hand on her forearm. "I forgave you a long time ago. I know that you wanted your mother back and I knew exactly what kind of hell you were going through. Had Klaus never taken Damon from me, I would not have been able to understand what you were going through, but I do." I smiled and let my hand fall back to my side. "Everything turned out alright. Had I known what a great help Pearl would have been to me later on, I would have given her my blood willingly."

Anna smiled and inclined her head. "That means a lot to me."

"We're sisters now," I said, smiling brightly at her. "What's done is done and we've both changed since then."

She nodded and we turned our attention to the racks of clothes. "Where are you going after this?"

"The closest person on my list is Tyler."

She paused to look at me. "You sure that's a good idea?"

I shrugged. "Like I said to Damon, I would feel horrible if I personally invited everyone but him and he would feel unwanted. For all we know, my reaction to him might be nothing like it was before."

I saw Anna's eyes roll. "Yeah, somehow I doubt that. At least Damon will be there."

I shook my head. "Damon and I are parting ways here. He said he has some surprise he wants to get me for the wedding." I studied her, cursing the fact that she was so old and well practiced at keeping a straight face. "Did he say anything to you about it?"

"Of course he did," she said nonchalantly. It made me do a double take. I had been expecting her to say the opposite.

"Really?"

She shrugged and continued browsing through clothes. "We may not have considered each other friends before, but we have known each other for almost two centuries."

I nodded absently. Of course he would have told her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What was he like as a human?" I asked quietly, suddenly wishing that I could take it back.

She smiled, her eyes taking on that far away look as she relived the past. It made me shiver, knowing that I would be doing that one day. "He was pretty much the same. Granted, being what he is allowed him to act more on his impulses, but not much else changed." She straightened up as she pulled herself back to the present. "I'm talking about how Damon has been since the two of you got together. The way he was before that was him using the off switch. As a human he was arrogant, charming and fiercely loyal."

I nodded, trying not to think of him with Katherine. "I wish I could have seen him as a human."

"Ask Bonnie when you see her. She might know a witch who can let you see the past."

"Really?" I asked, the surprise heavy in my voice.

She nodded and grinned. "You still have so much to learn about the supernatural. Don't worry, you have plenty of time."

I took a deep breath and stared at the clothes in front of me. "Plenty of time," I mumbled to myself, thinking about possible outcomes for the future.

Drawing me out of my self induced trance, Anna shook me gently. "Come on, let's go to the next store." I nodded and followed her back out to the crowded streets.

* * *

After saying goodbye to both Anna and Jeremy, Damon and I returned to the hotel room. I promised them that I would keep them posted on dates and any other details that they needed to be aware of. I had arranged for Lucian to pick me up first thing in the morning so that I could begin my trip to the States.

Damon and I fell onto the bed with a simultaneous sigh of satisfaction; we had been out all day and had hardly seen each other. Needless to say, it felt nice to be alone with him again; especially since I would be leaving tomorrow morning. "Can you just tell me where you'll be?" I asked softly, lying on my side to trace the lines of his face. "You don't have to give me the details, I just want to know where you are."

He placed his hand over mine and kissed the inside of my palm. "I can do that," he breathed, planting a trail of kisses to my wrist.

"Anna and I talked about you today."

He froze at that. "Why?"

"I asked her what you were like as a human."

His lip curled for a split second. "Why would you want to know that?"

"Because, you've seen how I was like as a human. I was just curious and I asked her because she's one of the few people who knew you back then."

"She didn't know me very well. The only time she really saw me was when Kath-" he stopped before saying her name and sighed. "She didn't know me very well."

"She said that the way you are with me is the way you were as a human."

He stared up at the ceiling while he thought it over. "Kind of."

I smiled and hooked my leg over him, pulling myself into a sitting position. "Well, we have an eternity for you to explain your human life to me," I breathed and leaned down until I was able to kiss him. I smirked into the kiss, breaking it off only to move my lips to his ear. "I like the vampire you."

Damon used his speed to pin me beneath him on the bed. "I like the vampire you too," he replied.

The rest of the night was spend showing each other how much we liked the vampire in each of us.


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR

I tried to catch my breath, but the pain that exploded through my body prevented me from doing so. My head tipped forward and through my blurred vision I was able to make out the gaping hole in my stomach. Blood flowed freely from the wound, staining my clothes and pooling on the ground around me. My eyes closed in disbelief as I tried to block out a wave of nausea. When I opened them, two steel blue orbs radiating hatred were staring back at me.

"No, you're the bitch that killed her." His voice circled around me, slicing through my heart.

I kept my gaze locked with his, trying not to let him see how much his words affected me. As my lips parted, I saw the stake in his hand. Before I could say anything, he thrust forward, plunging the sharpened piece of wood into my chest, missing my heart by an inch. "No," I rasped. His other hand wrapped around my throat and began applying pressure; that sadistic smile plastered on his face as he watched my life slowly fade from my grasp...

As the scene faded, I came back to reality. I jumped from the bed and bared my fangs to the darkness of the hotel room. Sensing that something was wrong, Damon moved with inhuman speed to my side. As he reached out to comfort me, I had the flashback of him with a stake. Reacting faster than I could think, I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. The sound of drywall cracking filled the air as I put all of my strength into holding him there.

"Elena!" he shouted, attempting to pry himself loose. "God damn it, Elena! Snap out of it!" he demanded, trying everything he could to dislodge me. "Elena!" he screamed. This time, the pleading and desperation got through to me.

As if someone had flipped the light switch inside of me, my fangs retracted and the blur between the dream and reality became clear. My eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Damon at my mercy, his blood coating my fingers that were digging into the flesh of his throat. I let go as if he were burning me and too a few steps back. "I'm sorry," I breathed, placing one hand over my mouth and the other over my stomach.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, wiping the blood from his neck.

I shook my head and moved back until I was sitting on the edge of the bed. "I...I was reliving the day I found you with Klaus."

Damon stilled and looked at me with worry. He still didn't fully remember the details of that night. "I thought you were done having nightmares," he stated.

"I thought so too." I looked up at him, unable to contain my smirk. He was debating whether or not he should approach me again. "I'm not going to hurt you again," I said softly and got to me feet. Slowly, I made my way to him and put my arms around his neck. "Not unless you want me to," I added in a breathy voice.

"Let me get this straight," he started, putting his hands on my hips. "You attack me and try to bleed me dry with your fingers and now you want to sleep with me?"

One of my brows quirked up. I smiled seductively at him and leaned in to lap the blood from his already healed flesh. "Problem?" I mumbled against his skin.

I felt shudders erupt down his spine, his fingers digging into my hips to pull me even closer. "Nope, just clarifying," he replied.

I felt his throat contract as my tongue darted out to swipe across his skin. I pulled back, smiling at him with lips that were red with his blood. He leaned in to kiss me and just before our lips met, he turned me in his arms. He nestled his face into the curve of my shoulder and put his hands on my stomach. I looked down and all of the desire vanished at the sight of the blood on my fingers. I flung myself across the room and shook my head at him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again.

Damon cursed as he carefully made his way over to me. "Hey," he said softly as he pulled me into his arms. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I know, but I-"

"No," he interrupted. One of his hands cupped the back of my head while the other stroked the length of my spine. It succeeded in calming me down. "It's not like you get the nightmares very often."

I sighed and lifted my head so I could look at him. "But why did it have to happen tonight?" I whined. "I'm leaving tomorrow and who knows how long we'll be apart."

Damon frowned, moving his hands to cup my face. "A few weeks at the very most. Elena, nothing is going to happen while we're apart."

"I know."

"No, I don't think you do," he said, tipping my head back even more so he could look at me. "Klaus and all of his friends are dead; they're not coming back. I am going to be with you for all eternity. Nothing can prevent that; we've proven that over and over again."

I nodded despite his hold and smiled at him. "I know that," I repeated.

"Think of it this way; you went hunting with Jeremy tonight, without me and everything went smoothly. We're here, together, and nothing horrible happened."

I mulled it over and felt my body relax. "You have a point."

He smiled and leaned forward so that our foreheads were resting against each other. His arms dropped to loop around my waist as he spoke. "Good, I'm glad you see things my way."

"For once," I muttered, smirking at him.

He narrowed his eyes for a moment and then smiled back at me. "Just think, you're going to be surrounded by friends and family. Before you know it, we'll be back in each other's arms."

"Promise?"

"Promise," he breathed and pressed his lips to mine. With ease, he picked me up and carried me to the bed. After setting me down, he pushed the covers down to the edge of the bed and then crawled in behind me. He draped an arm around my waist and pulled me back until we were spooning. "I love you."

"I love you," I returned and let my eyes close. With the feeling of his body pressed tightly against mine, I was lulled back into sleep without another thought; a small smile gracing my lips.

* * *

We arrived at the private hanger by the time the sun was settled in the sky. While Lucian and the other two "servants" put my things in the plane and made sure everything was ready to go, Damon and I said our goodbyes.

"Maybe I should go with you," Damon breathed as he held me to him.

I shook my head against his shoulder. "No."

He pulled back to look at me. "Last night, you were wondering how you would survive without me. Did you suddenly figure out that you don't need me anymore?"

I grinned a little. "If I remember correctly, you're the one that said you wanted to leave."

He gave me a pretend pout and kissed my forehead. "I remember." His gaze flickered to something behind me and he inclined his head. "Time to go."

I sighed and took a step back. My hand reached out to grab his and we walked towards the plane. Lucian had already stepped inside and the other two servants had disappeared. "You'll call me at least once a day?"

"Yes."

"And tell me where you are?"

He nodded, a sly grin taking hold of his lips. "Of course."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Europe or any other continent name does not count," I said dryly.

He inclined his head before pulling me to him once more. We held onto each other tightly; I could hear our bones groaning under the pressure. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," I returned and pulled my head back enough so I could kiss him.

The kiss was full of pent up passion, a sign that we should have gone through with things last night. However, it was too late now; it was time to go. I broke the kiss abruptly and used my vampiric speed to get from his arms to the plane. That way, we were forced to end things there. We stood where we were, watching each other intently, until the hatch closed, blocking our view of each other.

Lucian appeared from the control room. "There are fresh blood bags in the fridge beneath the bar."

"Thank you," I said around a tight throat.

"I suggest you sit down for take off."

I nodded, moving absently to a chair where I couldn't see Damon through a window. If I was able to see those blue eyes once more before take off, I was going to call the whole thing off and invite people over the phone. As a distraction, I looked at Lucian. "I'll get Tyler's address when we land."

"No need," he said with a smile. "My master has the addresses of all the places that you intend to go."

"That seems a little strange."

"It was Mister Salvatore's request."

I smiled and nodded at him. "Ah." After shifting in my seat, I cleared my throat. "Alright, let's go."

I watched as he disappeared into the control room. After a few minutes, the plane's engine roared to life. Unable to resist temptation any longer, I moved to the other side of the plane and looked out the window. Damon was leaning against the car we had driven in. He smiled when our gazes met and we started at each other until the plane left the hanger. I rose my hand against the glass and saw his raise as well. Satisfied, I settled back into the seat and prepared myself for take off.

* * *

By the time we reached Maine, I had answered the question of whether or not vampires can feel jet lag. Lucian pulled into the hanger and then met me in the cabin. "Ready?" he asked.

"I'm going to feed while they put my things in the car," I informed him. Though I wasn't hungry, I figured it would be easier if I arrived at Tyler's completely full. I rolled my eyes as I moved to the bar. Even I knew that being full wouldn't help the cravings when I was around Tyler. Then again, I didn't even know if his blood would affect me the same way this time around. I retrieved the bags and drained them as fast as I could. After cleaning up and disposing the bags, I exited the plane and made my way to the car that Lucian was standing next to.

"Full?" Lucian asked as he opened my door.

"Yes, thank you," I replied and slid into the back seat.

Once we were on the road, Lucian looked at me in the rear view mirror. "Mister Lockwood is about a half hour away from the city. Will you be staying there or the hotel room that has been reserved for you?"

I shrugged at that. "I don't really know. I'll call you after I talk to him, but probably the hotel," I answered, knowing that it was wise to stay away from Tyler as much as possible; just in case.

Lucian nodded and fiddled with the radio. The rest of the ride was done in silence, giving me time to think of all the things I needed to do to prepare for the wedding. Things would become more of a reality when I went to see Bonnie since she was the one who would be helping me plan the majority of it. When we pulled up to a house, Lucian turned in his seat to face me. "Shall I wait?"

I shook my head. "No, thank you. I'll call you later."

He inclined his head and made a move for the door, but I was already on my feet. "Have a nice visit Miss Gilbert."

I smiled and watched him drive off before turning back to the house. It wasn't large, but it wasn't small by any means. It was two stories and had moss growing up the sides. I found it hard to believe that Tyler lived here. Clearing my thoughts, I walked up the steps to the rather large front porch and rang the doorbell. After the noise settled, I listened with my vampire hearing and frowned at the silence inside. "That's unfortunate," I muttered to myself.

As I walked back down the stairs, I heard something in the backyard. I whirled around and felt my muscles tensing, ready to attack at any moment if necessary. I inhaled deeply and caught the scent of wolf. Not that it told me much, if Tyler did live here, I would be smelling wolf everywhere. I felt my legs carrying me into the unfenced backyard that led to forest. This time, the sound was clear; feet pounding on the forest floor, snapping twigs and moving dirt as someone ran. And they were running towards me.

I turned to the other side as I heard another pair of feet treading quickly over the earth, also headed my way. If it weren't for the fact that there were plenty of wooden objects surrounding me, I wouldn't be worrying as much. Being staked once was enough, but I had been staked one time too many. My eyes closed as I tried to drive out the memory of Everilde's torture. In that split second, I could feel the warmth of a human behind me and as I whirled around, it was just in time to see Lexa flinging herself at me. She had successfully caught me off guard.

We crashed to the ground, the sound resonating through the trees. I bared my fangs at her and tried everything I could to get her to realize that it was me. With one quick motion, I was on my feet, lifting her up by the hair. She yelped and struggled, but I already had her in a solid grip. One arm was looped around her waist, keeping her back pressed tightly against my chest as the other went around her throat to keep her head from thrashing.

We both stopped moving at the sound of someone whistling. I looked up to see Tyler grinning at us. I tightened my grasp one last time to show Lexa that I was stronger before I shoved her away from me. Tyler pouted and sighed heavily. "Oh come on!" he whined. "It was just getting good."

"Hello Tyler," I said, brushing the dirt and grass off of my clothes.

In an instant, he was in front of me, pulling me to him for a crushing hug. "Hello Elena."


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE

I sat at the island in their kitchen as Lexa opened the fridge. After grabbing three beers, she slid one my way. My hand shot out to catch it and I smiled at her. "Thanks."

She nodded. "I didn't meant to attack you."

I shook my head as I opened the bottle. "It is your territory and you were just trying to defend it. I would have done the same thing."

Silence fell as the two of looked at Tyler. He was standing in the opposite side of the kitchen openly staring at us. "Ty?" Lexa called out, snapping her fingers in front of his face.

I smirked before taking a deep drink. "He's too busy daydreaming about what would have happened if he hadn't broken up our fight."

That snapped Tyler out of his daze and his eyes narrowed at me. "You can read minds again?"

Lexa snorted. "She doesn't have to be a mind reader to know that."

His eyes widened in surprise for a moment before he made a face at the two of us. "Sorry Tyler, it's not going to happen," I added.

He sighed and smiled at us. "Alright," he muttered and raised the bottle to his lips. "So what brings you here?"

"I-"

He straightened up as he realized that Damon wasn't with me. "Where's Damon?" he asked, sounding serious.

"Last I saw him, he was in London."

"London?" Lexa said as the same time Tyler asked, "Last time you saw him?"

I put the bottle on the granite and raised my hand for him to calm down. "Relax, Damon isn't missing and we're still together. Let me explain from the beginning."

Tyler nodded and finished his beer rather fast. "Please do."

I broke into a full on grin, feeling a rush of excitement at the thought of actually going through with the plans Damon and I had set five years ago. "Damon and I have set a date for the wedding," I announced.

Tyler and Lexa both stared at me with a wide eyes and an expression that was a mixture of disbelief and happiness. "Congrats," Lexa finally said, moving around the counter to give me an awkward hug.

"It's about time," Tyler muttered as he watched the two of us embrace.

I looked at Lexa and she rolled her eyes. As her lips parted to say something, the house phone rang. She grabbed the receiver and excused herself before leaving the room. "So where's Damon?" Tyler asked.

I shrugged before finishing my drink. "As I said, last I saw him was in London. We went to visit Anna and Jeremy first. He told me that he had a surprise gift that he wanted to get me for the wedding. Trust me, whatever it is, my reaction must be worth it for him to willingly leave my side."

Tyler frowned and shook his head. "It must be, but I can't think of anything that would make Damon let you come to see me by yourself." He finished his sentence with a wink to which I laughed and rolled my eyes.

"He said he would catch up with me when he found it."

"So you just came here to invite us?"

I nodded. "I went to Jeremy and Anna in London and after you I'll go to Chicago to see John and so on. I figure a personal invite would be better than something in the mail."

Before Tyler could say anything, Lexa came back and replaced the phone on the cradle. "Hey, I'm going to have to leave for a bit. Are you going to be in town for awhile?" she asked me.

"A few days."

"Good, then I won't feel too bad about leaving. I'm sure the two of you want to catch up by yourselves anyway."

Tyler and I exchanged a weary glance for a brief moment. "Where are you going?" Tyler asked her.

"To Raylan's. He said he wanted my advice on something," she said and kissed his cheek. "See you later," she called over her shoulder to both of us before leaving the house.

"Raylan?" I asked him, curious about why her answer was so vague.

"Her brother. He just had cubs."

I laughed at his choice of words. "Sorry, I know the term cub is correct, but it still sounds so wrong."

"Tell me about it," he mumbled and raked a hand through his hair.

"Something wrong?" I asked, leaning forward on the island.

"No, I really love my life, but sometimes I feel like I'm still the outsider."

"Why? You've been here for five years."

He nodded. "I know, it's just... I don't know, it's not the same."

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "As?"

He sighed and gave me a small smile. "The family I had with you and everyone back in Mystic Falls was the best. I had never felt more safe and secure in my life. Being here, even though I'm surrounded by people like me, it just doesn't seem right."

I sat back on the barstool. "I miss that part of my life too, but that's a memory now. One that I'll never forget."

He nodded and leaned against the opposite side of the island. "Don't get me wrong, I love knowing that I'm part of pack, but... Something's missing."

"How are things with Lexa?"

"Things are great. I love her, but she keeps hinting at getting married and having kids. I never saw myself doing either." He straightened in a self revelation. "That could be why they treat me as an outsider."

"Huh?"

He shook his head and looked at me again. "As a pack member, you're supposed to procreate to ensure the gene will carry on. With me being Darren's family, I've got twice as much pressure to do it."

"If you leave, you'll always have this place to come back to," I said quietly.

He nodded. "I've thought of that, but every time I imagine my life without Lexa, it breaks my heart."

I smiled because that was exactly how I felt about Damon. "Do you love her?"

"I already said I did," he said flatly.

"Is there passion between the two of you?"

"Sometimes there's too much passion. We're so much alike that it..." his voice trailed off as he caught my expression. "What?"

"First off, there is no such thing as too much passion. As long as it's there, you'll never have any doubt about the other person's love for you. Secondly, opposites attract, while true, doesn't work out very well. It's the people that are alike that go far."

Tyler snorted at that. "What was I thinking? Of course two people so alike can work. Just look at you and Damon; you're the female version of him and vice versa. Maybe you're onto something, Gilbert."

I got to my feet and looked at him. "Alright, so now that you know you love her and the passion is still burning hot, you have to man up. This isn't high school where each week means a different girl to conquer. You are going to marry that girl and give her children; not because you have to for the good of the pack, but because you want to."

"Are you compelling me?"

I grinned. "I will if I have to."

"Point taken."

"I thought you guys were mated anyway?"

"We haven't actually done the ceremony yet. When I moved up here, there were some things going on with the pack and eventually we got so busy that we forgot."

"What does it mean to be mated?"

"It's the wolves way of being married. Most couples to a human wedding followed by the mating ceremony. It's the pack's way of making sure that a potential conception takes place." My brow rose as a silent question, sparking that mischievous gleam in his eyes. "You're welcome to come back when it takes place and see for yourself."

"I'll pass," I said, laughing lightly.

"Suit yourself," he returned and then shot forward to grab my hand. "Come on, let's go."

"Go where?" I asked as I allowed him to pull me through the house, eventually into the garage.

"Well, if I'm going to propose to Lexa, I'm going to need a ring."

I smiled with pure happiness at him. "I'm proud of you."

"You're the one that did this to me, Gilbert."

"How do you figure?" I asked as we got into the car.

"It wasn't until you took me in that I realized it was possible to love someone enough to change for them. You showed me that people can care about each other and not everyone is neglectful."

I reached over and took his hands in mine. "You're going to make an excellent father."

"Right back at you," he returned and then widened his eyes in fright. "Oh shit, I'm sorry."

I shook my head at him, "I'm well aware of what I gave up. Quite frankly, as long as I have Damon, I don't care." I continued to smile as I withdrew my hands so he could begin the drive to the city. I looked at the house as we backed up, imagining for only a moment what a child of Damon and I would be like. I shook my head and laughed to myself. In all honesty, that child would be quite a handful.

"Does Darren know you're in town?" Tyler asked as we walked up to one of the restaurants in the city. We had spent the rest of the day searching every jeweler for the perfect ring. Luckily, he had found it and got it for a great price. Seeing as how shopping was not his forte, he was worn out and ready to eat like the ravenous wolf he was.

"No."

"You should tell him. I know he would be happy to hear from you."

I smiled guiltily at him. "I know, but I think it would be best if I limited my time to just you and Lexa."

He was about to ask why when the realization settled in. "Ah, you're afraid that the call for our blood might be too overwhelming around a bunch of us."

"Bingo."

We said nothing until we were seated. "Now I feel like an ass."

I smirked at him. "Just now?"

He kicked me under the table. "Ha ha." The waiter came and took our drink orders then. "Anyway, I was planning on proposing to Lexa before the big run the day after next."

"Big run?"

"It will be the full moon. Darren owns a whole lot of land that we use for the event. That way, we don't run the risk of getting caught. I was hoping that you would run with us."

"Tyler-"

"You don't have to do the run, but will you at least be there for the proposal? I want someone there for me."

I sighed in defeat as he gave me the puppy dog eyes. "Alright, fine."

"You're the best!" he hissed and reached across the table for my hands.

"I know," I returned and gave a playful toss of my hair.

He laughed and sat back. "You have been spending too much time with Damon."

"And I still have eternity to go."

We were silent for a bit only to be interrupted by the waiter taking our orders. "When was the last time you fed?" he asked.

"Before I came to your house. I'm good until Lucian picks me up."

"Lucian?"

I explained the situation to him and he pouted. "That's so not fair. Vampires have all the luck." I couldn't really argue with him on that one. "Where are you staying?" he asked.

"Lucian said there was a hotel ready for me. I was going to call him when you were ready to go that way he could pick me up here."

"Seriously? No, you're staying with Lexa and I."

"Tyler-"

"You're only in town for a few days and I want as much time with you as possible," he said stubbornly.

I stared at him while I debated over what to do. For the second time that night, I caved. "I'll call Lucian now and tell him to bring my things here," I said and excused myself.

Once outside, I dialed Lucian's number and was only mildly surprised when he answered on the first ring. "What can I do for you Miss Gilbert?"

"I'm out having dinner with Tyler. I've decided to stay with him and I was wondering if you would bring my things here."

"What restaurant are you dining at?" After I gave him the name of the restaurant, he told me he would be there shortly and hung up.

When I walked back inside, I smiled as I caught Tyler staring at the ring. "She's going to love it."

"I know she will," he said and returned the box to his pocket. "It's your turn. What have you been up to these past five years?"

I grinned at him, earning a wrinkled nose in response. "You asked," I chimed and laughed quietly. Talking to him like this reminded me of old times. Unfortunately, it also reminded me that this would be one of the last times I saw Tyler. As sad as it was, I forced myself not to think about it. I was determined to have a good time. And we did; reminiscing all through the night.


	6. Chapter 6

**a/n: I couldn't resist with the Tyler thing. I just love it too much :)**

SIX

Even the jet lag couldn't get me to fall asleep. I found myself staring at either the ceiling or the empty space beside me. I sighed heavily, missing Damon more than I thought. After some very long hours of making shapes out of the wall texture, I heard the buzz of my phone and used my vampiric speed to answer it. "Hello?" I asked, keeping my voice low.

"Eager to hear from me?" came Damon's voice.

I sat up and smiled. "Yes, actually, I am. I'm also very mad at you."

"What did I do?" he asked.

"You spoiled me. I can't sleep without you next to me."

I heard his quiet laughter through the phone. "I slept just fine."

"Jackass," I mumbled, but felt my grin widen.

"You know you love me."

"Unfortunately."

We laughed softly before he spoke with sincerity. "I miss you," he said.

"I miss you too." We sat in silence for awhile, just knowing we were connected even though we couldn't see each other was comforting. "So, where are you now?"

"I'm still in London. I thought I would stay with Jeremy and Anna for a bit. Enlist their help on tracking this thing down for you." I nodded and got to my feet. Suddenly, I felt very confined in the bedroom. I moved to the window and jumped to the ground after opening it. "Elena?" Damon asked, sounding worried.

"I just went outside. I jumped from the window."

"What floor are you on?"

I stared off into space while I tried to figure out why he was concerned when it dawned on me. "I'm not at the hotel."

"How is Tyler?"

With that, I headed into the woods, figuring a walk would do some good while talking to Damon. "He's doing really well here. He and Lexa live in this gorgeous house. The pack own a ton of land so they don't have a house payment and they can hunt whenever they want without the worry of getting caught."

"Sounds pretty cool."

"I spent the day shopping for rings with Tyler. He's going to propose to Lexa right before they do their full moon run." After a minute of no response, I moved the phone from my ear to make sure the call hadn't dropped. "Damon?"

"Please tell me you're not going on the run with them?"

I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath. "I think I can control myself. Tyler asked me to join in and I'm pretty sure Lexa let it slip that I'm here. I can't back out of it if Darren offers. It's a great honor. Look, we've been over this a hundred times; if my abilities come back, they come back. There's nothing either of us can do about it."

"Elena-" he started in the voice that said he wanted me to calm down.

"I am _not_ going to sleep with Tyler or do a blood exchange. If you don't believe me, fine, but I'm telling you the truth." In all honesty, I had no idea why I was yelling at him, but for whatever reason, I was on edge.

"Elena," he breathed, the strain audible in his tone. "When was the last time you fed?"

"Right before Lucian drove me to Tyler's." I stopped walking to lean against a tree. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you. Being around him is harder than I thought it would be."

"Told you."

I made a face at the empty space in front of me. "Not because of the blood thing, but because eventually he'll be..."

"Dead," Damon finished for me after a moment or two.

"I know I've come to terms with their mortality before, but every time I see them, it's like I'm realizing it for the first time."

"Do you want me to be with you?"

I shook my head before I remembered he couldn't see me. "No, I'll be fine. It's been a long day."

I listened as he began speaking to someone else wherever he was. I was too absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't hear anything other than muffled words. "Hey, I just wanted to call you like you asked me to, but I have to go."

"Alright."

"Love you."

"You too," I returned and sighed as he hung up. I slid the phone into my pocket and continued walking through the trees. I wasn't in any rush to get back to Tyler's; I wanted time to myself. It was a rare thing and I wasn't sure if I liked it anymore. I stopped in my tracks at the sound of a twig snapping. I used my heightened senses to locate the source of the noise, but came up empty handed. I continued my slow pace towards the house, but kept my senses extended due to the sensation of being watched.

I took one more step when I felt the attack coming. My muscles tensed and at the last second, I whirled around and grabbed my assailant by the throat. I slammed him up against the nearest tree, baring my fangs and cutting off his air supply. "Tyler!" I hissed when I realized who it was.

His hands were busy trying to get my grip to loosen up, but I only squeezed harder. "Elena!"

"You should know better than to sneak up on me," I muttered after my fangs retracted. I relaxed grip, but kept him pinned to the tree.

"I heard the window open and got up to see you walking away. I thought something was wrong, but I heard you talking to Damon. I was only coming up to you so we could walk back to the house together."

"You lunged at me."

He stared at me and slowly, that sheepish grin took hold of his face. "Alright, fine, I might have wanted to play a little too."

I rolled my eyes and stepped back, watching him fall the last few inches to the ground. "I'm not in the mood."

As I turned to walk away, he grabbed my forearm. I looked at his hand, then slowly let my gaze travel up to meet his. "You may not remember what my blood does to you, but I remember what yours does to me."

I pulled my arm away from him and shook my head. "Tyler, no."

"Elena-"

"It's not that I don't remember!" I snapped. The harshness of my voice made him wince. "Because I do. Sometimes, it's all I can think about. Not necessarily your blood, but supernatural blood in general. I feel like Stefan, always having to be careful about what I eat; making sure I don't eat the wrong thing because I could go crazy with the cravings." My voice was icy and from the look on his face, I knew he was comparing me to how I was when searching for Damon. "As your friend, I'm asking you to back off."

"That night still haunts me." He paused to watch my reaction. He was disappointed when I didn't react at all. "Bits and pieces of what happened have been slowly returning and I can't help but wonder what would have happened if we had gone through with it."

"Technically, we did," I said and began to walk away.

He ran after me, catching up to me with an ease that annoyed me; even if we both knew I let him. He pulled me to a stop and put his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not saying we should sleep together, though it would be fantastic, but we should do one last exchange."

I narrowed my eyes at him as I crossed my arms over my chest. Curiosity was getting the best of me. "Give me one, damn good reason why we should," I demanded.

"Because you want to."

"Tyler-" I started and felt my body tense as he pulled out a small knife from behind his back. "Don't," I pleaded as he raised it to his throat. If I used my speed to get the knife, I ran the risk of drawing blood myself. "I can't. I promised Damon."

"Damon will understand." I could only watch as the blade slowly cut across his collarbone, a thin red line of blood welling to the top. "Besides, if you're going to be living for eternity, you're going to drink supernatural blood eventually. The odds are against you with the amount of witches in this world. At least this way, we have one more memory that you can hold on to."

While he was talking, I was slowly stepping closer, entranced by the scent of the blood as it wafted through the air. When I stopped in front of him, I tore my gaze away to look Tyler in the eye. "Damon is going to kill you," I informed him.

He nodded and I looked down at the blood on his skin, just a few droplets now that the wound itself had healed. My tongue darted out to lap them up. My body shuddered with pleasure from the taste. For the first time in five years, I felt satisfied; and I had only had a few drops. I pulled my head back as my fangs lengthened and gave Tyler one last chance to change his mind before I struck, but he remained still, giving me the nod to continue.

Unable to ignore the call of his blood any longer, I reared my head back and sank my fangs into his flesh. We both groaned in pleasure. His hands lay flat on my back and pulled me closer to him. I had one hand holding his head to the side while the other rested on his bicep. I could feel his fingers moving gently across my skin and though the bond I could sense his restraint. Right now, Tyler was all about the exchange, trying his best to keep his hands to himself.

The familiar taste of his blood exploded on my tongue, burning its way down my throat and singing in my veins. I could feel myself growing stronger with each drop that I took; an enormous amount of excess energy was beginning to make me antsy. I bit down harder giving into the need for more. As I took another mouthful, I could feel his heart rate slowing, indicating that I was dangerously close to draining him. Reluctantly, I pulled back and licked my lips.

Tyler watched me as if he were in a trance, but kept his arms around me. I reached up and moved my hair to one side, exposing my throat to him. "Your eyes," he muttered.

"What color?" I asked, hoping that they weren't brown anymore.

"The same, they're just...well, they're bright."

I nodded and looked at him. "Tyler, if you're going to bite me, do it now."

Needing no further encouragement, he leaned in and pressed his lips to my throat. After a few gentle kisses, his lips parted and I felt the momentary sting as his teeth clamped down and broke the flesh. My nails dug into his side as he completed the exchange. After only a few pulls, he drew back and lapped the blood from my skin. He pulled away and stared at me for what seemed like hours. "Thank you," he muttered.

As I started to say you're welcome, he surged forward and pressed his lips to mine. The action caught me off guard, surprising me into a statue like stillness. When I felt his lips move, I pushed him with all of my newfound strength. The tree snapped as he crashed into it and fell to ground at the same time he did.

"Tyler!" I yelled, keeping my fists balled at my sides.

He grinned wolfishly up at me. "Would you believe me if I said I couldn't help myself?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, but helped him to his feet. "Not really," I said and shoved him before taking off towards the house.

"Hey! Not fair!" he yelled as I heard him scramble to catch up with me.

I was at the porch before he had taken more than two steps. I leaned against the exterior of the house and waited for him. "Thank you. I did need it after all."

"You're welcome," he said, sticking his chest out with pride.

"Don't get too excited," I warned as I opened the door to go inside. "Damon's still going to kill you."


	7. Chapter 7

SEVEN

The following day was full of surprises. First, Darren had come by to talk to Tyler, but found me instead. That lead to a dinner party that evening. There were several new wolves from the last time I saw the pack; either that or they were the ones that elected to stay behind. Immediately after dinner, Darren announced that there would be a sparring competition to see who would lead the hunt the following night. Luckily, Darren was very understanding when I declined his offer to stick around.

"What are you going to do instead?" Tyler asked while the pack began to set up.

"Probably go the city and do some hunting of my own."

"You're hungry already?"

"No, but I can't stick around here if you're going to beat each other to a pulp. Thanks to you, I might not be able to stop myself," I teased, laughing at the look of horror on his face.

"Do you want company?" he asked after he realized I was only joking.

"I don't think Darren, or Lexa for that matter, would like that very much."

Tyler grinned at me and shook his head. "Yeah, I usually get my ass kicked anyway. I never win."

"You've had vampire blood," I reminded him. "Why don't you try it and see?"

That convinced him. "Maybe I will win this time. Thanks Elena," he said.

"Hey, tell me if this is being rude, but I only wanted to invited you and Lexa to the wedding."

He shook his head, "I figured that. I told Lexa not to mention it to anyone just yet. I'll talk to Darren myself. He'll understand. You said you were letting everyone stay at your house right? The entire pack wouldn't fit, nor do they have the money to travel."

"Thanks," I said and shoved him lightly.

"Welcome," he replied and waved me off as I started walking from Darren's house to Tyler's. I debated on calling Lucian to come get me, but Tyler gave me his car keys. Even if he hadn't I would have been able to get to the city and back on my own in a decent amount of time. As I walked, I thought of how to bring up the events of last night up to Damon when I talked to him next. Nothing I came up with in my head seemed to work. I would just have to wait and see how it went when I talked to him.

When I got to Tyler's, I still wasn't sure what I wanted to. I wasn't even so sure that I wanted to go out at all. I didn't need to feed; if anything, Lucian would have some for me when I saw him. I would be fine until then. After some time of sitting on the couch just watching TV, my phone rang. I looked at the display to see Damon's name. "Hey," I answered, settling back into the couch after shutting off the television.

"Have you been staring at the phone, waiting for my call?" he asked playfully.

"Something like that."

He chuckled on the other end of the line. "What are you and the wolves up to tonight?"

"Well, tonight Darren had a pack dinner with me as an honored guest. After that, he announced that they were going to be doing a sparring thing to determine who would get to lead the run tomorrow night."

"And where are you?"

"I'm at Tyler's trying to find some way to entertain myself." As soon as the words left my mouth, I smirked as I pictured the look on Damon's face.

"Are you alone in the house?" he asked. I could detect the subtle change of his voice indicating that he had a few ideas up his sleeves.

"I am," I informed him, knowing exactly where he was going with this.

"Maybe I could provide some entertainment for you."

I smirked at the empty room before responding with, "No."

"No?" he repeated with somewhat of a whine that caused me to snicker.

"You're the one who decided we should go our separate ways, you're the one that has to deal with the consequences."

He was silent for a moment, "You're cruel."

"What are you doing?" I asked, drawing him away from the subject. I was planning on letting him have his way, but I wanted it to come across as my idea.

"I too am sitting in a hotel room with nothing to do."

"Where are you now?"

"Brussels. I left London not long after we talked yesterday."

That was one of the places we hadn't gone on our travels yet. I moved to lie on couch, propping my feet up on one arm while my body remained straight. "Describe it to me," I demanded, closing my eyes to get a better picture.

The moment he started speaking I knew he wasn't going to describe the city. "I can just imagine how you would look if you were standing between me and the balcony as we looked down at the city. My hands would be resting on your hips while my lips pressed into the curve of that supple neck of yours."

He had barely begun and I could already feel my body reacting to his words. I could feel his hands on me as we had done something like this many times on the balcony at home. "It sounds amazing, keep going," I urged him, dropping the register of my voice. We had never been apart long enough to try this before and it seemed awkward to say things without seeing his reaction. He didn't seem to care because he continued as if I hadn't said anything at all.

"My hands slide forward, slowly undoing the buttons of your jeans before slipping inside." I sucked my lower lip in between my teeth and bit down. The more he talked, the more I wished I had fought harder to keep him by my side. "My finger slides into you, a sigh escapes your lips. I-"

"Hang on," I interrupted having heard something outside the house. I got to my feet and no sooner did I get to the hallway did the door burst open. Tyler launched himself at me and we both went crashing to the ground, the phone sliding across the floor.

"Elena!" I heard Damon yelling through the phone.

"Tyler! Get off of me!" I hissed and used my strength to pin him beneath me with his back to the floor.

"I won!" he shouted with joy and triumph. "I totally kicked everyone's ass! Your blood really did the trick!"

My eyes went wide with alarm as I heard Damon swearing up a storm. "Goddamn it Tyler!" I hissed again and used his body to push myself up as I went for the phone. "Damon?" I asked, pressing it to my ear.

Tyler jumped to his feet out of fear. "Did I hear him correctly?" Damon snarled.

"I'll go," Tyler said and practically ran from the house before I had the chance to make him stay.

"Fucking wolves," I muttered and stared up at the ceiling. "Yes, you heard him right," I admitted and sighed heavily before filling him in on what happened. "So far, I haven't experienced any abilities."

"Your eyes?"

"Hazel with more gold than anything," I answered and sank down onto the arm of the couch. "I didn't mean for it to happen. I really did try and keep my distance from him, but..." I let my voice trail off and stood up, suddenly angry. "No, you know what, I'm not sorry."

"Elena-"

"I want my abilities back; I feel lost without them. If you remember correctly, I have witch blood in my system thanks to Roarke. I-"

"Elena, shut up for a minute," Damon demanded with force. When he realized I was waiting for him to continue, he did. "You don't have to be angry with me."

"You're angry with me," I argued.

I heard him laugh and felt throughly confused. "I'll admit, I'm incredibly jealous of your abilities, but if you're not happy without them, fine. I just didn't want you to get your hopes up if they didn't come back."

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"I did, you simply refused to listen," he said dryly.

I opened my mouth to protest and then quickly shut it as I remembered that he had. "I'm sorry," I said instead.

"The wolf kept his hands to himself?"

"Yes."

He snorted. "He's still dead when I see him."

"He's already been warned." I sighed and saw Tyler slinking up to the front porch. "We will try this again when I get to Bonnie's okay?"

"Deal. Love you."

"You too," I replied and hung up before going out to Tyler.

"Elena, I am so, so sorry!" he said the moment I opened the front door.

"It's okay Tyler, really. I was going to tell him, but I didn't know how. You blurting it out forced me to do it, but it worked out for the best." I scanned the front yard. "Where's Lexa?"

"She's helping with clean up. I wanted to tell you the good news."

I stepped forward and hugged him. "I'm happy for you."

"The best part is, it makes the proposal I have planned that much better. I'm going to do it instead of saying the usual pep talk." I nodded and followed him inside, listening to him talk about his plans, in detail, until Lexa came home. When she did, I used it as an excuse to sneak upstairs and call it a night.

* * *

While the wolves were at Darren's getting ready for the run, I called Lucian to tell him that I needed to be picked up. I had already informed Tyler that I would leave shortly after the run started in case they started hunting me as we were naturally enemies, not friends as we had become. Tyler was alright with my decision, as long as I stayed for his proposal like I promised. When I arrived at Darren's, I set my bags by the front door and tracked down Tyler who was pacing in the kitchen.

"You okay?" I asked.

"Nerves."

I smirked at him. "Really?"

"What if she says no?"

My smirk disappeared as I stared at him. "You honestly think she'll say no?"

He returned my stare before shaking his head. "No, but she could."

"She won't," I assured him.

He nodded and took a deep breath to calm himself. "So, I guess we should get our goodbyes out of the way now."

"That would be a good idea. I'm probably going to stay behind after you make your move."

He stepped towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. "Thank you Elena, for everything. I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't for you."

"You're welcome," I returned and held him back. When we let go, I smiled at him. "I will send you details and give you more information as the time gets closer. I'm not going to be planning anything until I see Bonnie."

"Figured as much."

"Come on," I said and linked my arm with his. "Let's get you engaged."

By the time everyone was gathered in Darren's yard, the sun was just about to sink beyond the horizon. I could sense the restlessness that was inside of everyone as they tried their best to patiently wait for Tyler to make his speech. I stood off to the side as I watched Tyler take his place before the crowd. "It's such an honor to have finally one the challenge and be able to lead this great pack on a hunt. I'm so grateful that you all accepted me and helped out my friend Elena when she needed you most. Not many wolves would help a vampire, but we did and I know for a fact she would do the same for any of you."

Some eyes flickered towards me, but I kept my focus on Tyler. I could hear every single heart as they began to beat at a faster pace the more Tyler spoke. The blood rushing through their veins was fueled by adrenaline, making it hard for me to breathe.

"But I couldn't have adjusted so well to pack life without two people. Thank you Uncle Darren for teaching me what my father would not." Darren beamed at his nephew and inclined is head. "And thank you Lexa, without you, I would have never been able to wrap my head around the rules."

"You would have been fine," she insisted as she stepped forward to take the hand that he offered her. Her eyes went wide and immediately began to well with tears as he dropped down to one knee, holding the ring box up with one hand, the other gently holding one of hers. "Tyler?"

"Lexa, will you marry me?"

The crowd began to murmur something and became quiet all at once as Lexa stared at Tyler in disbelief. Finally, she began to nod. "Yes!" she hissed and yipped with happiness as Tyler surged forward, gathered her in his arms, and spun her around. When they calmed down, he slid the ring onto her finger.

"Let the hunt begin!" Tyler declared and winked at me before beginning to take off towards the woods along with the crowd. I waited until they had all disappeared into the trees before going back inside. I gathered my things and waited out front for Lucian to arrive.


	8. Chapter 8

EIGHT

By the time the plane landed in Chicago, I was feeling anxious. I was hitting my limit on how much plane travel I could take. Since becoming a vampire, the idea of confinement was never a good thing. The fact that Tyler's blood was coursing through me didn't help either. I had spent my time in the air pacing; a sign that I had too much energy. Luckily, I had a few hours before John got off from work.

"Will you be staying at the hotel?" Lucian asked me as he brought my things from the plane to the car.

I nodded. "Go ahead and take my stuff. I'll call you later for the room number and directions." He inclined his head and slipped into the front seat of car. I waited until he drove out of the hanger before running laps at hyper speed. Since it was a private hanger, no one would be coming or going unless Lucian authorized it. That gave me free reign to burn my energy in this manner. Unfortunately, after countless laps, I still had the feeling that I going to crawl out of my skin. Sighing heavily, I decided to give up and head out into the city. I still had an hour or so before John would be home. I thought about calling Vivian, but decided against it. I would just wait and surprise them both. I had the address programmed into my phone, ready to give a cabbie when I was ready. I smiled as I heard my ringtone and pulled out my phone to see Damon's name illuminated on the display.

I answered on the third ring, trying to make myself appear less eager. "So, how was the full moon?" came Damon's mocking voice.

I frowned and narrowed my eyes at the window I was currently looking into. "For your information, Lucian picked me up and took me to the airport. I did not turn into a wolf this time around either."

"Did you bark in your sleep?"

"I guess you'll tell me when I see you next," I replied as I began walking down the street again.

He gave a soft chuckle and paused for a bit of silence. "So, are you at John's yet?"

"I'm in Chicago, but I haven't been to his house yet. He gets off of work in an hour or so. I'll head over then to surprise him."

"Sounds like fun," he said dryly.

I gave a small smile. "Where are you now?"

"Still in Brussels."

I waited for him to add on to that, but it was clear that he wasn't going to say anything more. "Oh come on, just one little hint?"

He snorted. "Nice try."

I sighed and stopped in front of a bridal shop. I stepped closer to the window and gave an appreciative sigh. "Hey, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

He muttered something in Italian. "And by ask you mean...?"

I grinned. "I want Bonnie to come back to Italy with us. If we're going to plan this wedding, I need her with me; not half way across the globe."

He gave a sigh of exasperation. "Alright. It's not like I have a choice in the matter anyway."

"Glad we're on the same page," I stated and debated on whether or not I should go into the store.

"What are you doing to kill time?" he asked.

"Window shopping."

"Anything good?"

"I'm in front of a bridal gown store."

"So...that's a no," he replied.

I shook my head, smiling despite myself. I decided not to go in and began walking further down the street. I was beginning to feel restless again. Not even Damon's voice was able to keep me calm for very long. "I should be heading over to John's. I'll call you later?"

"I was kidding. Dress shopping sounds like great fun." His voice oozed sarcasm and it made me laugh.

"That's not why I'm hanging up. I need to burn off some energy before I see John and Vivian."

He laughed at that. "Just don't go eating your step-mother."

I froze at that. "What?"

Damon immediately stopped laughing and cleared his throat. "Relax, I don't know if they're married or not. It just sounded funny."

"Damon-"

"Look, gotta run. Love you," he said in a rush and then hung up on me.

I growled in frustration, spooking the humans around me. I returned the phone to my pocket and continued to walk down the street. I knew that rushed goodbye was Damon's way of riling me up just for fun. Boy, was he going to get his. As I thought of all the ways to get him back for that, my mood began to lighten.

When I drew myself out of my thoughts, it was time to seek out John and Vivian. I managed to get a cab and gave the driver the address. By the time we reached the first light, I realized what a mistake this had been. I was too jittery to sit still, but I forced myself to sit through the ride. Luckily, it was a relatively short one. I paid the driver and got out of the cab, relieved that I didn't have to sit anymore.

I looked up at the townhouse and smiled in appreciation. John lived on the edge of the city; not quite the outskirts, but not downtown either. He had the corner unit that connected to four other townhouses to my left when facing the building. It was at least two stories with an attic. It looked rather cozy and I could imagine him and Vivian living there for what I hoped would be a long time. After realizing that I was attracting the attention of the neighbors, I walked up the few steps and knocked on the front door. Nothing. I knocked again. Still nothing.

I looked at the time on my phone and frowned. It was well past the time for him or Vivian to be home. Lucian had assured me that he didn't have any meetings that would keep me from having to wait too long. I stared at my phone, debating on whether or not I wanted to call him and ruin the surprise. I sighed and began scrolling through my contacts list for his name. As much as I wanted to surprise him, I wanted to make sure that he was alright.

"Elena?" he asked after the second ring. "Everything alright?"

"I should be asking you that."

"What?"

"I'm outside your house and no one's home." I narrowed my eyes at the woman across the street. She was openly staring at me and I could practically hear all the derogatory terms she was labeling me with.

"I'll be there in...You're where?"

I smirked at that. "It was supposed to be a surprise."

He gave a soft chuckle. "I'm sorry. I had a last minute meeting and my client wouldn't leave. I'll be there soon."

"Where's Vivian?"

"She left for work not too long ago. Her offices are being renovated and she's in charge of the project."

I nodded and leaned against the exterior of the house. "Okay. Well, I'll see you when you get here."

"Soon, I promise," he assured me and hung up.

I sighed again and sat down on the top step, waiting for John to get home. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait long. I was already so close to rushing across the street and breaking that woman's neck. I stood up as a cab pulled up in front of the townhouse and John got out of the car. I got to my feet and walked down the steps to meet him. I hesitated for only a second before reaching out to hug him. He held me tight as I tried not to crush him with my arms. When he pulled back, I was trying hard not to cry.

"You, uh, look..." he stammered.

"Dashing? Gorgeous?" I supplied.

"Unnatural," he finished in a low voice. My eyes widened and my humor disappeared. I now understood the reason that woman had been staring at me. I let my gaze drop to the ground and John put his hand in the small of my back. "Let's go inside."

After he invited me in, I went straight to the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. "Shit," I muttered. My features were definitely not human. They were sharp and any passerby would be able to tell that I was...different.

"What happened?" John asked as he leaned against the doorframe.

"Tyler," I mumbled, staring at my eyes in the reflection. I was happy about the color change. I missed the green, but hazel looked very good with my skin tone and hair.

I saw his brows raise at my admission. "I can't imagine Damon's happy about this."

I smirked and tore my gaze away from the mirror. "He's not," I replied and gave a small shrug.

John inclined his head and stepped back so that I could pass. We walked back to the living and I sat down on the arm of the couch. "So...What's this surprise you mentioned?"

I felt myself begin to grin like a fool. "Damon and I set a date for the wedding," I said with excitement. "It's going to be this New Years and I wanted to personally invite you and Vivian."

He smiled, his eyes shining with pure happiness. For the first time in my entire life, he was truly happy when it came to something about his family. I had only seen him look this excited when I saw him with Vivian. It warmed my heart to know that I put that smile on his face. "We'll be there."

"There's more," I said and stood up. "I want you to give me away."

He nodded eagerly. "I would be honored," he answered and pulled me in for a hug. It caught us both off guard, but it was only awkward for a second. "So where will the wedding be?" he asked as he pulled away.

"Italy. We live in a villa with a private beach. We're going to do it there and everyone is going to stay with us. We have plenty of room. I'll tell you all about it after you order some take out. I'm starving."

John obliged and placed an order at his favorite place. We began to catch up while we waited for the food to arrive. Thankfully, the abundance of energy I had been dealing with all day seemed to have finally begun to wear off. While we talked, I no longer had the urge to run laps and I could concentrate on his words rather than the beat of his heart. "Who do you have left to see?" he asked after I discussed most of my plans thus far. Our food had just arrived and we sat at the kitchen table to start eating.

"Bonnie in New Orleans and the Saltzman's in Arizona." That last part made both of us grin. "That's still weird to say."

"It won't be any more weird than calling you Mrs. Salvatore."

I stopped lifting my fork and felt my eyes widen. It was the first time I had heard that aloud and it send a shiver down my spine. "Yeah, definitely strange." I cleared my throat and reached for my water. "Have you and Vivian been thinking about tying the knot?" I asked, changing the subject.

John took a long time to answer. "We've talked about it before, but nothing serious."

"Why not?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

He simply rolled his eyes. "It has nothing to do with her nature. Neither of us feels the need to rush into making it official. We've already decided that we want to be together, we don't need a marriage certificate to prove that."

"What about kids?"

He shrugged. "We haven't really talked about that yet." Silence fell between us at that. Neither of us knew what to say. "So where is Damon?" he asked.

I could have sworn that I told him about Damon earlier, but obviously that was not the case. "He was in Brussels last time I heard from him."

One of his brows quirked up. "What is he doing there?"

It was my turn to shrug. "He's on a mission to find something to surprise me with at the wedding. He said he would catch up with me if he could."

"How long are you planning on staying here?"

I thought about my answer. I had said everything I needed to say to John and it just didn't seem right to stay and just hang out. "Just tonight. I'll be heading to New Orleans in the morning."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay another day?"

I shook my head and smiled inwardly as his body relaxed with relief. "Thanks for the offer, but I really need to get started on the real planning. Something I can't do until I see Bonnie seeing as she'll be my maid of honor."

"Do you need a place to stay?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Lucian has a hotel room for me."

"Lucian?"

I chuckled and finished my food. "I guess I should really start from the beginning," I muttered. For the better part of the evening, we talked about whatever we could think of. I stayed for another hour or so after Vivian came home, leaving when I noticed they were both exhausted.


	9. Chapter 9

NINE

New Orleans was nothing like I expected it to be. For a town that was still rebuilding itself, there was a lot of action going on. There were still a few hours to go before nightfall, but the streets were already beginning to fill with people ready to have a good time. I was glad that my excess energy had mostly dissolved. I honestly didn't think I would be able to control myself if the city was going to be crowded. Thankfully, Lucian dropped me off right in front of Bonnie's shop. That way, I didn't have to deal with finding out if my control was as good as I hoped.

"Here is the address to the hotel Miss Gilbert. I will inform concierge of your arrival."

"Thanks Lucian," I said and shut the door. I watched him drive away and shook my head after him. At least he gave up opening my door for me, but no matter how much I asked, he wouldn't call me by my first name.

When I turned around, I inspected the storefront. It was on the main street with windows that showed hints of what was sold inside. There were even advertisements for palm and tarot card readings. That brought a small smile to my face as I shook my head again before going inside. The scent of incense made me sway on my feet and I had to take a moment to compose myself. The lights were dimmed which wasn't a problem for me and I could hear faint traces of Celtic instrumental music coming from the back of the shop. As I wandered through the aisles, curious to see what else people could buy, I heard movement.

I looked up to see a woman staring at me with wide eyes from the counter in the far right corner. I could smell her fear and my blood ran cold as her thoughts floated through my head. _What the hell is Katherine doing here? She told me I had paid my debt._ I grinned; my abilities were returning.

I approached the woman with a warm smile. "Hello, I'm looking for Bonnie Bennett. Is she around?"

She nodded once and I could see her hands trembling. "She's upstairs in her office. Would you like some tea while you wait?"

I knew she was going to spike it with vervain. Mind reading or not, I just knew from her reaction that she knew about vampires. Thanks to Tyler, there would be no mistaking me for human; especially when the person before me was supernatural herself. "No thank you," I answered and watched her face fall with disappointment.

_What does Katherine want with Bonnie? This can't be good_, she thought. "A-are you sure? It might be awhile before she can come down."

I nodded once. "I'm sure."

Instead of offering me anything else, she slipped through a door behind the desk. I heard her rummaging around through something, but not once did I hear her speaking to Bonnie. In fact, the more I listened, the more I was sure Bonnie wasn't even in the building. I sighed and retreated down one of the aisles where I could watch the girl come back into the shop but remain hidden. Sure enough, she emerged with a stake in one shaky hand and a vervain dart in the other. "Ma'am?" she called out.

Before I gave her the chance to find me, I rushed out of my hiding spot and in one quick movement, I removed the weapons from her hands. I launched them across the room and then pinned her to the wall by gripping her throat. "How do you know Katherine?" I asked, trying to keep my anger in check at saying her name.

She was gasping for air and clawing at my hand, trying with all of her strength to make me let go. When it became clear that she wasn't going to answer, I applied a little more pressure. It was then that the pain started. It was as if someone had begun drilling into my head. My vision went blurry and I dropped the girl to put my head in my hands. I backed away, knocking over a shelf in the process before dropping to my knees. As suddenly as the pain started, it stopped. I barely had time to register that the girl was going for the weapons I had tossed away earlier.

She launched herself at me, but I used her momentum to fling her into the counter. I pounced and ended up straddling her, pinning her arms above her head. I snarled at her, baring my fangs. "I should probably mention that I don't appreciate when people try to kill me because they think I'm Katherine."

"But you-"

I tightened my grip on her wrists and hissed. "I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you," I warned. "I'm only going to ask you one more time, how do you know Katherine?"

"She...she used me to..." her voice kept breaking as she dissolved into hysterical sobs.

I sighed and pushed my way into her mind. I let out a deep breath of satisfaction; just like riding a bike. Since she was thinking of Katherine, it wasn't hard to find the memory I was looking for. I could see the girl and Katherine, arguing in front of a run down house in a bad neighborhood. Katherine grabbed her by the throat and bared her fangs as I had just done. "_You're going to do as I say or I will kill every single one of your family members while you watch. I need a witch and you've been chosen._"

As I pulled out of her thoughts, I retracted my fangs. I felt sorry for the girl I was threatening. At the moment, I was no better than Katherine. My anger soared as I thought of how Isobel had done the same thing to Bonnie once upon a time. "Elena? Rebecca? What the hell are you doing?" came Bonnie's voice.

"Speak of the devil," I muttered to myself. I looked sternly at the girl, Rebecca. "If I let you up, you have to promise not to go for the weapons. One false move and I _will_ kill you. Do you understand?"

"Elena!" Bonnie hissed in a warning tone.

"What? She just tried to kill me," I said defensively as I slowly let go of Rebecca and got to my feet.

I looked at Bonnie and she was staring at me, giving me that scolding look. "And you couldn't have just talked her out of it?"

"She thought I was Katherine," I stated.

Bonnie sighed. She knew better than anyone how I reacted to being compared to the late vampire. "Rebecca, this is my friend Elena Gilbert. Katherine is long gone. Despite what you must think, Elena won't hurt you. I won't let her for one and she is nothing like Katherine. She only kills in defense."

I nodded at Rebecca, making it very clear that I had _no_ problem killing in defense. She gulped and looked between Bonnie and I. "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought-"

"I know what you thought."

Bonnie came to stand next to me and nudged me with her shoulder. "Elena."

I sighed. "I'm sorry too Rebecca. I just have a very bad temper when someone thinks I'm Katherine."

Instead of saying anything to me, Rebecca turned to Bonnie. "Can I leave early?"

Bonnie nodded. "Go."

Rebecca gathered her things and bolted from the shop. Bonnie turned to me and shrugged, giving me a "what the hell" look. I shrugged. "She started freaking out when she saw me, offered me some vervain tea, and then came at me with weapons."

She studied me. "So...how did you know she thought you were Katherine?"

She had me there. "I..." I started and sighed again. "I read her mind."

"When did you start getting your abilities back?"

"Today," I said and grinned at her, so glad that they were returning.

She stared at me, one of her eyebrows slowly rising up.

"You know, you don't look so surprised to see me," I said, trying to change the subject.

"You forget, I'm a witch."

"You've never predicted the future."

She grinned wickedly. "Yeah, well, I've picked up a few things here and there over the years." My head canted to the side and she gave a short laugh. "And Tyler called to tell me you were going to be stopping by."

"Of course he did," I mumbled, leaning against the wall. I saw the wooden stake that had been flung across the room and sighed. "I really am sorry for attacking Rebecca, but you know how I get when people call me Katherine."

"I'll deal with her later," she assured me and opened the door that was behind the desk. "Let's go upstairs."

I nodded and followed her up the narrow staircase that led to her apartment above the shop. After she invited me in, I looked around at the decor. "Nice place you have here."

"Thanks."

"Congrats on the shop, by the way," I added.

She beamed at me. "Too bad you couldn't have been here for the grand opening last year."

I looked away, feeling a little guilty. I remembered getting email invitation and had tried to convince Damon to go, but I ended up losing a bet and we hadn't made it. "Sorry about that."

She shrugged. "So what are you doing in the States? Without Damon," she asked, turning the conversation into a serious one.

I smiled at her and she looked taken aback. I knew she was thinking the same thing I was. She hadn't seen me this happy since before my parents died and Damon proposed. "Damon and I finally set a date. I thought personal invites would be better than mailing them."

She smiled just as brightly and gave me a tight hug. "I'm so happy for you. It's about time," she said and playfully shoved me. "When and where?"

"We have a villa in Italy. It'll be in our backyard on the beach New Years Eve. We're flying everyone out and there's plenty of room for you guys to stay with us too."

Her eyes went wide at that. "Oh my God!"

"I know, right?"

"You live on the beach?"

"Yes Ma'am," I replied and grinned. "But I have a big favor to ask of you."

"Okay."

"I want you to be my maid of honor."

She pretended to look thoughtful, but couldn't hold back her smile. "Of course. I would love to be your maid of honor."

I nodded once and smiled sweetly. "We don't have much time to plan, but with unlimited funds it shouldn't be that hard. I was thinking that you could come back with me after I visit Jenna."

Her eyes widened again and she nodded rapidly. "I just need a few days to get coverage and I'm yours."

"Perfect."

"What does Damon think of this?" she asked.

"It's not like I gave him a choice," I teased and shook my head. "He's fine."

"Speaking of, where is he?"

"He said he was tracking down a wedding present for me," I said and shrugged. "I talk to him every day."

"Does he know you have your abilities back?"

I shook my head. "He knows about the blood exchange with Tyler."

"Yeah, how exactly did that happen?" she asked, curiosity written all over her face.

"Take me out to dinner and I'll tell you," I returned and leaned against the wall.

She smirked and shook her head. "I can do that. Anything in mind?"

"You choose. I'll eat anything."

Her brows rose. "Are you hungry?"

I shook my head. "I ate on the plane so don't worry," I assured her. "I'm talking about real human food, Bon, relax."

"Just checking before you snap on anymore of my employees."

I rolled my eyes. "You have my word."

She nodded and then studied my face. "Are you sure you want to go out? I can order in." When I narrowed my eyes in confusion, she explained herself. "You don't look human at all."

"Oh. Right," I mumbled. I had completely forgotten about that since Rebecca left. I thought about what it would be like to be surrounded by a thriving city and remembered my earlier anxiety. "I think ordering in would be the better option. We can go out another night."

"How long are you planning on staying here?"

"A few days. I have a hotel room too, so you don't need to put me up if that's what you're thinking."

"I don't mind."

"I do. Being in a place surrounded by witches doesn't sound very appealing. Especially if you're gone."

She laughed. "I'm sure you can handle them."

"I know I can, but then you'll be mad at me."

She stopped laughing and nodded. "Alright, let me get the take out menus."

While we waited for the food, Bonnie insisted that I tell her about the villa and what I wanted to do for the wedding. She only let me stop talking when the food arrived because she had to go downstairs to answer the door. While she was gone, I walked around the room and found a picture of her and Stefan on the mantle. Seeing his face made me pause. A strange feeling washed over me and I was unable to move.

"Elena?"

Bonnie's voice broke me out of my trance. I turned away and smiled sheepishly. "When was this taken?"

She didn't answer me right away. Instead, she put the things on her breakfast bar counter and began setting it out. "He's been by a few times over the years."

"Bonnie, it's okay. I never said you guys had to stop being friends."

"I know. I just hate that I kept it from you. I tried to tell you before, but I didn't know how to bring it up."

"Don't worry about it," I assured her and started digging into the food. "So...any new guys?" I asked, changing the subject.

I could see the slight color change in her cheeks as a big grin took hold of her lips. "Maybe."

"You know I'm not leaving town without meeting said person."

Her smile faded a little. "He doesn't know about...you."

"Vampires?" I asked and she nodded. "He does know you're a witch, right?"

"Of course. But people think it's just a gimmick here. They don't really believe."

"Bonnie-"

She started laughing. "I'm totally kidding. He's a warlock too. He owns his own shop on the other side of the city."

I threw a wadded up napkin at her as she continued to laugh. "Now I have to meet him."

"You will," she assured me. "In fact, he should be here any minute now."

"Oh?"

"We were supposed to have dinner, but-"

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have gone to the hotel." Although, it did explain why she ordered the amount of food that she did.

"It's fine," she said, waving her hand in the air. "I want you to meet him so I figured now would be the perfect time."

At that, the doorbell rang. She set down her plate and made her way downstairs. "He better not call me Katherine!" I called down to her, settling into the couch.

It didn't take long for Bonnie and her boyfriend to return upstairs. "Elena, this is my boyfriend, Alexsi Kavanagh. Alex, this is my best friend, Elena Gilbert."

"Wow," he said, reaching out to offer me his hand. "You don't look remotely human."

"Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically and shook his hand.

He smirked and returned to Bonnie's side. "She's told me a lot about you."

"Really?" I said and looked at her. "I haven't heard anything about you."

He continued smirking and inhaled deeply through his nose. "Excellent. It means I don't have to live up to any expectations."

My lips formed into a small smile as he practically dove for the food. Just as I started to sit down again, my phone rang. I pulled it from my pocket faster than a human could blink and grinned like a school girl at the sight of Damon's name. "Excuse me," I said and headed down into the shop for some privacy. "Hello."

"Took you long enough."

"I was busy," I replied, taking a seat behind the desk. "Bonnie was introducing me to her new boyfriend."

"Please tell me he's not coming too."

I shook my head and grinned. "Probably not. Would it be so bad if he did?"

He groaned. "I guess one more person wouldn't hurt," he grumbled, causing me to snicker lightly.

"So why did you cut our conversation short the other day?" I asked.

"I can't say."

I huffed and leaned back in the chair, propping my feet up on the desk. "Please?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"Are you alone?"

I rolled my eyes. "I told you I was meeting Bonnie's boyfriend."

"Then I guess you'll never know."

"No big deal, I can wait," I replied, grinning wickedly to myself. I could clearly picture the sour look on his face at my words.

"Elena?" I heard Bonnie's voice calling for me.

"Sorry, gotta run. Love you," I said, repeating his words from the other day before hanging up on him. As I made my way upstairs, I nodded at both of them. "Sorry, that was Damon."

As I said that, I felt my phone vibrate and I read the text from him. _You owe me._

I grinned and put it back into my pocket. "Alright, Mr. Kavanagh. Tell me about yourself," I said as I took my spot and started eating again. As he talked about his life, I watched the way he and Bonnie acted around each other. It only made me miss Damon that much more. When I noticed the two of them getting closer and closer, I took that as my cue to leave. "Well," I said, standing up. "It was a pleasure to meet you Alex. Bonnie, I'm gonna head out. I'll call you tomorrow."

She started to get up to walk me to the door, but I held out my hand in protest. "Alright, see you tomorrow, Elena," she said and I let myself out.


	10. Chapter 10

TEN

A few days later, I was sitting in the back of the car, leaving the private hanger in Phoenix. I was more than anxious to see Jenna and Alaric. I knew the nerves were mostly from the fact that she had children. I had seen a few pictures, but had never actually met them. I hadn't ever really been around kids as a human; I wasn't sure how I would fare around them as a vampire.

"Everything alright, Miss Gilbert?" Lucian asked.

My head snapped to the side to look at him, catching his eyes in the rearview mirror. "Um, yeah," I said quickly and cleared my throat. "Thanks."

He nodded, but said nothing else. I went back to looking out the window. Instead of letting my mind wander again, I rummaged around for my phone and called Damon. No answer. I sighed and played with my phone. This was the second day in a row that he hadn't answered. When I asked Bonnie to do a locating spell on him, she assured me he was fine and changed the subject. Since then, I had left at least a dozen messages for his voicemail and sent too many texts to keep track of. Even Jeremy and Anna weren't taking my calls. I figured they were up to something, but I couldn't shake the slight bad feeling in the back of my mind.

Fortunately, Lucian drew me from my thoughts again. "Should I leave your things with you or do you want me to take them to the hotel?"

I thought about it and shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I think the hotel's fine. If they want me to stay at the house, I'll go get it."

He inclined his head and began to slow down. "Here we are."

I swallowed thickly, feeling the butterflies in my stomach. "Thanks."

"Have a good time Miss Gilbert," he said as he stopped in front of a two-story stucco.

"Thank you," I said again and got out of the car.

I watched as the car drove out of sight before I started pacing the sidewalk in front of the house. The neighborhood was gorgeous. It was well manicured and looked like a magazine cover; the perfect suburb. I had no idea why I was nervous it wasn't like I was meeting them for the first time. Laughing at myself, I took a deep breath and walked up the short staircase to the porch and knocked on the front door.

After a minute of waiting, the door opened to reveal a girl around the age of five. She had golden blonde hair down to her elbows and soft blue eyes. I had to take a step backwards to regain my balance. She looked exactly like my mother; the one who raised me, not the one that tried to kill me and my loved ones. It was a bit shocking at first. "Hi," she said, her voice still sounding childish.

"Hi," I returned, trying everything I could think of to not cry. "Is your mom home?" I asked.

Her head tilted to the side as she squinted her eyes. She was looking at me as if she recognized me. "You're the girl in the photos Mommy has," she stated and then stepped back from the door. "Why don't you-"

I raised my hand with inhuman speed, hoping it would stop her from inviting me in. "Did Mommy ever tell you not to invite strangers in?"

Her cheeks flushed slightly and she bit her lip as she looked down. "Yes," she mumbled.

I smiled and felt a little worried. "Miranda? Who's at the door sweetie?" came Jenna's voice.

"The girl from your pictures!" the girl shouted back.

My eyes were glued to her now and I could feel the tears sliding down my cheeks. Miranda. Jenna had named her daughter after her sister. "What girl from the..." Jenna's voice trailed off as she appeared behind the child. "Elena?"

In the next instant, she was on the porch with her arms wrapped around me. I returned her hug, careful not to squeeze too hard, and felt her tears wet my shirt. "Hey Jenna."

"Oh my God, what are you doing here?" she asked, holding me a little tighter. "Is everything alright?" She let go and looked around. "Where's Damon? Did something happen? Do you need me to call Alaric?"

I shook my head and wiped my eyes. "No, no. Nothing like that," I assured her and smiled. "I'm here for good reasons."

She smiled wider and went back inside. "Get in here," she demanded. "We have so much to catch up on." Once I was inside and the door was closed, she turned to her daughter. "Miranda, this is your cousin, Elena." She turned back to me. "Elena, this is Miranda."

"Hi Miranda," I said, trying not to cry again.

"Hi Elena," she returned and then grabbed onto Jenna's leg.

"Miranda, will you go check on Cameron?" Jenna asked. Miranda nodded her head and hurried away.

"She looks just like Mom," I whispered, my eyes lingering after her.

"I know," Jenna said wistfully. "We were trying to think of a perfect girl's name and I couldn't think of anything better. It's my way of honoring her."

I looked at Jenna and saw the tears shining in her eyes. "It's perfect. She would have loved it."

Jenna tipped her head to the side. "Are you hungry? I'm in the middle of making lunch." I started laughing and she shoved me. "My kids love my cooking."

"They're your children; they have to love it or they won't eat," I teased.

She stuck her tongue out at me and I followed her to the kitchen. "Normally, Alaric does the cooking," she informed me.

"Where is he?"

"He's teaching at ASU now," she said, practically beaming with pride.

"Really? That's amazing."

She nodded. "He'll be home in a few hours." She stopped rummaging around for utensils and looked at me. "So, where exactly is Damon?"

"London with Jeremy and Anna," I said, picking up an apple that was in a dish on the island.

"Why?"

"He was looking for something for the wedding," I answered.

"What wedding?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

I grinned from ear to ear. "Ours. We finally set a date."

"Oh my God!" she squealed and hurried around the counter to hug me again. "When? Where? Details, Elena!"

"Well-"

Before I could go any further, her house phone rang. "Excuse me," she said and answered it.

Deciding to give her privacy, I left the room, following the sounds of two children playing. I found them in the living room. I leaned against the wall and watched as they played together. The boy looked a lot like Alaric, but I could definitely see some Jenna in him as well. Mostly the hair. Both children had been blessed with her hair.

The more I watched them play, the more they reminded me of Jeremy and I as kids. We had always been pretty close. The fighting came after the car accident. As I watched Miranda, I couldn't help but think of my mother. The longer I thought about their resemblance, the more I started wondering if I ever had a daughter, would she look like me? Luckily, Jenna shook me out of my thoughts by laying her hand on my shoulder. She gave me a knowing look.

"You okay?"

I cleared my throat and followed her back to the kitchen. "Yeah, I'm fine. Who was on the phone?"

"You weren't listening?"

"No," I said and sat on the barstool.

"It was our babysitter. She has a test in a few days and she needs all the time to study that she can get."

"What were you and Alaric going to do?"

She shrugged. "Nothing much. It's just our date night."

I sat there silently and played with the apple I had only taken a bite of. "You know, I could watch them for you."

She stopped moving and slowly turned to face me. "Uh..."

"Oh come on, I'm a vampire, not incompetent."

"Are you sure?" she asked tentatively. "Have you ever been around kids before?"

"No, but it can't be hard. Look, if they get too out of hand, I can just compel them to sleep." Her eyes widened and I shook my head. "I'm kidding. Jenna, I would never do that."

She stared at me for a moment and then nodded. "Alright, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you babysit. That way they can get to know you."

"Are you going to tell them about vampires and everything else? I'm sure Miranda will notice that I'm not any older than I am in the photos."

Jenna shrugged. "Alaric and I have talked about it, but we haven't really been too serious about it. They have vervain in their morning milk and when they start junior high, we're giving them jewelry with it. They already know not to invite strangers in." I gave her a sideways glance. "Well, they _were_ pretty good about it," she mumbled.

I couldn't help but smile at her. My nose wrinkled shortly after as she began putting the finishing touches on lunch. "What are you cooking?"

"Mac and cheese," she answered firmly. "It's straight out of the box so I can't mess it up."

I smirked. "We'll see."

She turned to glare at me before plating the meal. I helped her carry the bowls to the table and got the drinks as she rounded up the kids. She placed Cameron in his high chair while Miranda sat next to him. "How old are you?" Miranda asked me after a minute of staring at me.

"I'm twenty-four," I informed her. "How old are you?"

"Almost five."

"How old is your brother?"

"Almost three."

"Wow. You guys are getting so big."

"How come you never visited before?"

I paused, the spoon halfway between my mouth and the bowl. I looked at Jenna and she stared back at me. "Well," I started, trying to think of something to say. "I don't live in the United States."

"Where do you live?"

"In Italy."

Jenna nearly choked on her drink, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. Miranda's eyes lit up. "Really?"

I nodded. "My fiance and I live in a villa near the beach."

"Where's your fiance?"

"He's in England with my brother and his girlfriend."

She nodded and went on eating. Apparently, she was done with the questions. "What's his name?" she asked when Jenna was clearing off the table.

"What's who's name?" I asked her.

"Your fiance."

I smiled at the way she had trouble saying fiance. "Damon Salvatore."

"Are we going to meet him?"

I shrugged, trying my best to keep that smile on my face. "I don't know."

"Alright, I think Elena answered enough questions. It's nap time," Jenna said as she picked up Cameron. "I'll be right back," she informed me.

"Will you be here after nap time?" Miranda asked before following Jenna.

I grinned. "Actually, I'm going to be babysitting you tonight."

She grinned back at me before running after Jenna without saying a word. When Jenna came back into the kitchen, she grabbed a bottle of wine and poured two glasses. "So, back to the wedding details."

I swirled the contents of my glass and smiled like an idiot. "We're planning on this New Year's Eve."

"Awe," she said, sitting down on a barstool. She rested her head in her palm and sighed heavily. "How romantic."

"Oh, that's not the romantic part."

"Then hurry up."

"The villa I told Miranda about, that's where we're having the ceremony. We have our own private beach and I want my friends and family there with me. The villa is large enough to house everyone and we're paying for tickets."

Jenna's face went from overly happy to disappointed. "What about the kids?"

"What about them?"

"Well-"

"You're more than welcome to bring them, Jenna. I wouldn't demand that you leave them home. It'll be over holiday break so that no one has an excuse not to come. Besides, your kids aren't even in school yet."

This time, she let the happiness take over. "I'm going to Italy! For my niece's wedding!" She got up and hugged me again, making me very glad that I had eaten on the plane. "I can't believe this is happening. It was so long ago that you got engaged."

"I know. I really didn't think it would ever happen."

She pulled away and cupped my face. "Just think, in a couple of months, you'll forever be Mrs. Salvatore."

My entire body went still. My gaze became unfocused as the title repeated in my mind over and over again. Mrs. Salvatore. Of course I had thought about it, but to hear someone else say it made it seem more like a reality. "Oh," I said, slowly sitting down. "That's the first time anyone but me has said that out loud."

Jenna grinned and tousled the hair at the top of my head. "I remember the first time someone said Mrs. Saltzman. I imagine I had the exact same look on my face." As Jenna went on and on about how it felt to be a newly wed, I unintentionally zoned her out. My thoughts were of Damon and being Mrs. Elena Salvatore for all eternity.

* * *

By the time Alaric came home, the kids were watching TV in the living room and Jenna was upstairs taking a bath. In the meantime, I was cleaning up so that Jenna could have more time to get ready for her date. Alaric came into the kitchen from the garage and stopped immediately at the sight of me. "Elena?"

"No, it's Katherine," I teased and watched as he tensed up. "Of course it's me."

"W-what are you- Where's Jenna?"

I grinned, very pleased that he didn't immediately ask me where Damon was. I had even tried calling him again with no success. "I'm here to invite you guys to my wedding and Jenna is upstairs getting ready for your date," I said, moving around the counter to hug him.

"So you finally set a date, huh?" he asked once I pulled away and went to continue cleaning.

"New Years," I said and filled him in on all the details.

"Wow, I imagine Damon has quite the man cave."

I laughed and leaned against the counter. "Of course he does. I think John said almost the same thing."

"So where is he?"

"With Anna and Jeremy last time I talked to him."

His brow quirked at that.

"He's fine. Or at least he is until I get a hold of him."

"I'm sure there's a reason why he's not answering," he said quietly while averting his eyes.

"You're aware I can read minds again, right?"

He paused and looked up at me, grinning sheepishly. "I was not."

I crossed my arms over my chest and smirked at him. For the first time in a few days, I was feeling a bit relieved over the fact that Damon hadn't picked up the phone. "So I take it he's alright?"

"He's fine," he assured me. "And yes, I did talk to him earlier today, and no, I'm not going to tell you what it was about."

I held up the peace sign, "I promise to stay out of your head."

"Thank you."

From then on, it was awkwardly silent. Luckily, Miranda came in to greet Alaric. "Elena's going to babysit us, Daddy."

He looked at me and tilted his head to the side. "You are?"

I nodded. "Don't worry, Jenna already gave me the run down and I will make sure that I eat before you leave."

He gave a nervous laugh. "Well that will be fun," he said, turning to look at his daughter. "And you're going to behave for her?"

She nodded eagerly and then ran back to the living room. "Both of your kids are so great. Cameron looks just like you. You guys are amazing parents."

"Thank you, Elena."

I nodded and then cleared my throat. "Alright, I'm going to head to the hotel and catch a bite to eat. I'll be back about a half hour before you have to leave."

"You know, we have an extra bedroom."

"I know, Jenna already invited me to stay. I think I'll keep the hotel, just in case. I, uh, saw Tyler a few weeks ago and..."

"Yeah, I can see that."

"Yeah, so I'll see you later."

"Do you need a ride to the hotel?"

"No, that's okay. I can get there in no time."

He shook his head and laughed slightly. "Well alright, we'll see you later." I waved and headed for the front door.


	11. Chapter 11

ELEVEN

I was sitting in front of the coffee table between Cameron and Miranda. There was crayons all over the table among a stack of papers they had already colored on. "What are you working on Miranda?" I asked, turning to look at her.

She covered it with her arm and hid it from me. "I'm not done yet."

I smiled and shook my head. "Alright, I'll wait til it's done. Cam, what are you working on?" I asked, looking at his drawing.

He smiled brightly at me and lifted the piece of paper. It was nothing more than squiggles and swirls of multiple crayons. "Rainbow."

"Good job," I praised and looked up to see Alaric and Jenna standing in the entry way. I got to my feet and looked them up and down. "Wow, don't you two look suave."

Jenna smiled like crazy. "I've been wanting to wear this dress for a really long time."

"Where are you guys going?"

"There's the Italian restaurant downtown that takes months to get a table. We've had a reservation there for a very long time," Alaric answered.

There was something about the way he said that that didn't quite add up, but I let it slide. "I don't even remember making the reservation it's been that long," Jenna said.

"Well, you guys have a great time."

"Let me say goodbye to the kids," Jenna said and went around me.

"Hey," I said to Alaric in a soft voice. "If you want, there's a hotel room at the Hilton waiting for you."

His jaw dropped a little at that. "Uh-"

"It's the one that Lucian booked for me, but it's yours if you want it tonight. You guys look like you need a full night out."

"Lucian?"

"Long story," I said and shrugged. "Just a thought."

He nodded and looked past my shoulder at Jenna for a brief second. "You know what, I'll probably take you up on that offer."

"Just text me either way," I said as Jenna put her hand on my shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't mind babysitting?" she asked.

"For the hundredth time, I'll be fine Jenna. You two go have a great night and I'll see you later," I said, practically herding them to the garage door. "Bye," I said once they were out the door before I closed it and returned to the living room.

Both kids were still coloring. Instead of joining them again, I leaned against the wall and watched them as I had done earlier when they were playing. It wasn't until I heard their stomachs growl that I realized what time it actually was. "Hey, are you guys hungry?"

Miranda looked up at me. "Do you cook like Mommy?" she asked.

I laughed at that and shook my head. "Oh no. I'm a way better cook than Mommy."

She smiled and so did Cameron. "What will you make?"

"I don't know, let me take a look at what you have. Any suggestions?"

"No," they both chimed in.

"Okay, I'll be right back," I said and began raiding the kitchen for something to make. When I found a box of spaghetti and a jar of sauce, I snickered at the irony. I went back to the living room to ask if pasta was okay. "How would you guys like spaghetti?"

"Yum," Cameron said, turning around so he could smile up at me.

"Spaghetti it is," I said and headed back to the kitchen. While I was making dinner, I thought of how lucky Jenna and Alaric were. Not once did the kids fight, run around uncontrollably, or destroy the house. They behaved like perfect little angels. It was very unnerving.

After dinner, I cleaned up and then sat between the kids on the couch to watch a movie. I had Cameron sitting on my lap while Miranda curled around me. It wasn't long before Cameron fell asleep. "Hey, I'm going to put your brother to bed," I whispered to Miranda.

"Okay," she returned and moved to lie her head on the arm of the couch.

Using my ability to move without sound, I went upstairs and walked into the nursery. Carefully, I changed his clothes and then tucked him into bed, making sure to put the guard rails up as Jenna had instructed. Once I made sure that he was going to stay asleep, I took the baby monitor from the dresser and headed back downstairs. Miranda was stretched out on the couch with the remote in her hand.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to bed too?"

"No," she said only to yawn right after. She sat up and looked at me. "I want to stay up with you."

"I promise I'll be here in the morning," I said, trying not to tear up. Her words were way too sweet.

"You will?"

I nodded. "I'm gonna be in town for a few days."

"Will I see you again?"

I moved to sit on the couch and drew her into my lap. "Remember that villa I told you about in Italy? Well, you guys are all coming out to visit over Christmas."

"Really? Why?"

Man, children really did ask a lot of questions. "Because I'm getting married." Her eyes went wide at that at she stared up at me. "You know what, how would you like to be my flower girl?"

"You mean it?"

I nodded and put my arms around her. "Of course I mean it. I would be honored to have you be my flower girl."

"I can't wait to tell Mommy!"

I nodded and reached over for the remote. I shut the TV off and stood up with her in my arms. "Alright, you can tell her in the morning. Right now, we are going to bed, okay?"

"Okay," she said with another yawn. "Oh wait!" she cried as we got to the stairs. "I want to show you my picture."

I set her down so she could go get it. When she returned, I sat on the foot of the stairs and took the piece of paper. It was surprisingly good for a five year old. There were eight people and everyone was labeled. There was Miranda, Cameron, Anna, Jeremy, Alaric, Jenna, Damon, and me. "This is great, Miranda."

"You like it?"

"Very much. This is definitely coming home with me." I stared at it again, my eyes glued to her portrayal of Damon. "H-how did you know what Damon looks like?"

"Daddy told me," she said with a grin.

I smiled and picked her up again. "Well you did an excellent job."

"Thank you," she said, her voice having turned into a dreamy one. I helped her change into pajamas, watched as she brushed her teeth, and then tucked her into bed. "Will you sleep with me?"

I stroked her hair and shrugged. "Just until you fall asleep," I said and crawled into bed with her.

She put her head in the crook of my arm and snuggled into me. I closed my eyes and forced myself to relax. It was very strange to be holding a child. I had only known her for less than a day and she already accepted me into her life. I had come to terms with the fact that I couldn't have a family of my own, but until this moment, I hadn't been aware of what I was giving up. For the second time that day, I found myself imaging what the offspring of Damon and I would look like.

* * *

I hadn't even realized I had fallen asleep until I woke up at the sound of the front door closing. Carefully, I slipped off the bed and made my way downstairs, making sure that Miranda was still asleep. I walked into the kitchen and leaned against the island, looking at the fridge that was wide open. "I thought you guys were going to stay at the hotel?"

My entire body froze as the fridge door shut to reveal Damon. "Sorry, change of plans."

"W-what are you... H-how did you..." For the life of me, I couldn't form a complete sentence. "I thought-"

Damon crossed the room and swept me into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close. "I thought I would surprise you," he said and pulled back enough to kiss me soundly. "Surprise," he added when he broke the kiss.

"How did you get in?" I asked.

"I arrived yesterday and Alaric let me in. I told him what I was going to do."

"So you're the one that got them reservations at the restaurant," I stated. He nodded and pulled back so I could see him smirk. My smile faded and I pulled away to hit him. "Would it kill you to answer your phone? Do you have any idea how-"

He cut me off by pulling me to him and kissing me roughly. He kept up his antics until I melted into his embrace. "I know, it was a horrible thing to do, but I couldn't resist."

I shoved him playfully before wrapping my arms around his waist. "I'm so glad you're finally here."

"It was hell without you."

"Mhmm," I returned, rubbing my cheek against his chest. I groaned at the feel of his very prominent arousal. "Too bad Jenna and Alaric aren't coming home tonight."

"Why is that a bad thing?" he asked, whispering in my ear before moving his lips to place kisses along my jaw.

"Because there are children upstairs. Why do you think the parents are staying at a hotel?" I asked. Instead of replying, Damon nipped at my jaw and lifted me onto the island. "Damon... I'm serious."

"So am I. It's been weeks since I saw you last."

I groaned again as his hands slid up my sides and palmed my breasts. "You can't wait one more night?"

"No."

My laugh was cut short as his hands traveled back down and began lifting my shirt off. "Damon, people can see us through the windows."

"So? You've never complained before."

I nudged him and grabbed hold of his shoulders. I pushed him back, cocking my head to the side as he growled in frustration at the display of my strength. "Well, if you can't wait, can we at least move this upstairs?"

He lifted my hands up and kissed me deeply. When he pulled away, he pressed his forehead against mine and shook his head. "As I recall, we're always at our best on the kitchen counter."

I couldn't help but grin. It was true, no matter how many surfaces there were in the place we were staying, nine times out of ten, we ended up in the kitchen. While I was thinking this over, Damon was using the momentary distraction to undo the fly of my jeans. When his fingers grazed my stomach, I pulled my lips from him. "Damon, I-" I stopped to groan as his lips trailed their way down from my throat to my chest, his tongue dipping behind the material of my bra to like my nipple. I moaned as he cupped my other breast, my head tipping back. "Alright, alright. You win."

Barely a second after the words left my mouth, Damon reclaimed my lips and wedged himself tightly between my thighs. "I always do."

Just as he started unhooking my bra, I heard a cry over the baby monitor. Without being told, Damon stepped back and handed me my shirt. I pulled it on as I whisked my way upstairs to Cameron's room. I stopped after opening the door and took a deep breath. He was just dreaming. "God that scared me," I whispered.

Damon pulled me to him, his body wrapped around mine as his chin rested on top of my head. "You can ease his nightmare if you want. I can show you how."

I shook my head. "Jenna gives them vervain every day."

We just watched him sleep for a little while before Damon pulled me into the hallway. Once the door was shut, Damon pinned me between him and the wall. "Now...where did we leave off," he whispered, pressing his lips against my cheek.

I pushed him off of me and tsked him. "No, no. I have to get the baby monitor."

Damon chuckled and pinned me again. "That thing wasn't even on. Did you forget that you have superhuman hearing?"

I opened my mouth to say no, but the truth was, I had. Damon took my momentary silence as an invitation. He reached down and lifted me up so that I could wrap my legs around his waist. With that he carried me down the hall. I wasn't even sure which room was the guest room, let alone how Damon knew. As he deepened the kiss, the urge to ask him dissolved. He set me down on the bed, but I kept my legs firmly locked around his waist. Slowly, he pried himself away from me and sat back.

It wasn't long before every article of clothing had been strewn haphazardly around the room. He resumed his position above me before he started kissing his way down my body. I shuddered as his tongue found my core. He gently pushed it into my opening and slowly licked his way up my slit. I moaned as my hand went to rest on his head, my fingers threading through his hair. He sucked my clit into his mouth as his fingers entered me. My free hand gripped the sheets as my head rolled from side to side. As Damon alternated between fast and slow, I could feel my head beginning to bind. My eyes squeezed shut as my body arched up off the bed.

"Oh God, Damon!" I moaned, trying my best not to be too loud.

He continued his ministrations until I was completely through. He kissed his way back up my body and kissed me deeply. I bent my knees and cradled his body to mine. He reached down between us and guided himself into me. We both sighed with relief. We had been apart for far too long. He moved his lips to my jaw then to my ear. "I'm never going to leave your side again."

"You better not," I replied.

My hands roamed up and down his back, leaving scratch marks and drawing blood. The scent filled my nostrils and my fangs instantly dropped. I groaned as I felt Damon's fangs scraping my neck. "You feel _so _good," he breathed.

His thrusts weren't as fast as they normally were, but each time he did, he went in deep. He let my body adjust before pulling out almost all the way and driving back in again. "Harder," I whispered, unable to take the teasing slowness anymore.

Fortunately, he heeded my request and picked up his pace. My nails dug into his shoulder blades as he thrust hard and deep. My eyes squeezed shut again as I felt the beginnings of my second orgasm. From the way he was gently nipping at my skin, I knew he was ready to come too. "I love you," he murmured against my skin.

"I love you too," I breathed as his fangs sunk into my flesh, making me come hard and fast. Knowing that I wouldn't be able to be quiet, I leaned forward and sank my fangs into his shoulder. That pushed him over the edge and I could feel my insides being warmed up from his release.

Damon collapsed on top of me, placing featherlight kisses all over my throat, slowly lapping up the excess blood. "God I missed you. Nothing compares to the real thing."

I nodded at that, my fingers playing with his hair. "I couldn't agree more."

Damon chuckled, his laughter vibrating through me. Slowly, he pulled out and moved to lie by my side. I turned to lie on my side and placed my head on his chest. Neither one of us said anything for the rest of the night. We just laid there in companionable silence, enjoying the sensation of being back in each other's arms.


	12. Chapter 12

**a/n: I'll be finishing this story with the next chapter and then I'll be finishing Vices and Virtues. I figure small steps before I start back up with FF and WIB. That way I know they get the attention they deserve :)****  
**  
TWELVE

The moment my eyes opened something felt off. I had been in such bliss the previous night that now everything felt like a dream. To make sure that it was reality, I turned my head to the side and realized that it was not a dream at all. It was a nightmare. Damon was no longer in bed next to me. I practically flew out of bed and dressed in the clothes that had been strewn around the room; a sign that last night had been real. The moment I stepped out of the room, the sense of urgency was gone as Damon's voice flooded my ears. My heart nearly melted as I realized he was singing softly. I followed his voice down the hall to Cameron's room. I leaned against the door frame and just took in the sight. Damon was sitting in the rocking chair, holding Cameron as he sang to him. It was something I never thought I would ever see and it brought tears to my eyes.

Damon looked up and smiled at me. After a few more lines, he ended the song and carefully returned Cameron to his crib. He took my hand and led me back to the room we were using. "I heard him starting to fuss so I went to check on him."

"You're great with kids," I said as I wrapped we laid back down.

"So I've been told."

I smirked. "You're the only one I know that could go from a complete ass, hell bent on destroying everyone around him to this wonderful guy who sings kids to sleep."

"Have to keep you on your toes somehow," he remarked and slid his body over mine. He traced the outline of my jaw and smiled down at me. "How long do you plan on staying here?"

"Not long. I've invited everyone that I wanted to, so we can head back whenever. I did want to pick Bonnie up on the way back so she can help me with wedding plans right away."

Damon groaned and buried his head in the crook of my neck. "Do we have to bring the witch back with us?"

"Yes," I answered, laughing at the way his breath tickled my skin.

My laughter dissolved into moans as his lips dusted my skin with kisses. His hands found their way to my breasts and began massaging them lightly. I bent my knees to cradle his body to mine and cupped his face. "And what do I get in return for letting her stay?" he asked between kisses.

"Hmmm," I said, pretending to think about it. "How about peace of mind that your soon to be wife for all eternity will be _very_ appreciative for said amount of time."

"Appreciative, huh? Care to demonstrate?" he teased, pulling back to look me in the eye.

I grinned sinfully and he gave me a pouty look, knowing what my answer was going to be. "I'll show you _after_ I become Mrs. Salvatore."

He parted his lips to say something and then stopped. His eyes held that familiar mischievous glint as he smirked again. "Mrs. Salvatore," he said slowly, savoring the sound of the title. "I like that."

I wiggled beneath him feeling him harden on my stomach. "I can tell," I replied before pushing him off of me. "But seriously, thank you for letting Bonnie come back with us."

He snorted. "Not like I had much of a say," he muttered, smirking at me in the process.

"True," I returned and moved to lie on my side so that I could curl my body around his. I closed my eyes as my head rested on his chest. "It's way too early for us nocturnal creatures to be awake, don't you agree?"

"Completely," he said, wrapping his arms around me. It only took a few moments before I was drifting off into the bliss I had craved since his return.

* * *

Jenna sighed and leaned her head back against the chair. "It's nice having you around again," she said, turning to look at me.

I set my glass of wine down on the table between us and nodded. "I kind of miss everyone always being within easy access too. It's just not the same," I said, my eyes flickering to the grassy area where the kids were playing in the sprinkler.

"All good things must come to an end I guess," she said and then smirked. "Well, I guess not for you and Damon."

"Eternity is a long time," I said and shrugged. "It may sound negative, but who knows what will happen hundreds of years from now. What if we get bored with each other? What if Damon decides he wants to go back to hunting for sport? What if-"

"Elena, stop!" Jenna demanded through her laughter. "You both went through hell to be together. If that doesn't mean anything, we're all doomed. Besides, you two hunt together anyway, don't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing. That boy couldn't get bored of you if he tried and the same goes for you. You'll have your rough patches, everyone does, but at the end of the day, you'll be together and that's all that matters."

She had me there. I stared at her for a few minutes and then smirked. "Alright, alright, you win."

"Good," she said smugly and turned to look at her kids.

"How long do you think they'll be gone for?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

Jenna laughed again. "See? It's only been three hours and you're already going through Damon withdrawals."

I glared at her, knowing she was right.

"They'll be back soon. They haven't really spoken to each other since you left and no matter how hard it is for either of them to admit it, they missed each other. They need some boy bonding time."

I couldn't help but grin at that. It had been cute watching them try to ask each other to go catch up, but not really saying it. "And we needed some girl bonding time."

"Damn straight," Jenna agreed, finishing off her glass of wine. "So how long do you guys think you'll be here for?"

"We were talking about that this morning too, before you came home."

"And?"

"We'll be heading out tomorrow. We'll probably go to the hotel and stay there tonight so that we don't wake anyone up. I mean we can be pretty quiet, but still." I saw the sadness in her eyes and I reached out to touch her hand. "But before you know it we'll be drinking wine on a private beach in Italy."

She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know," she said and took a deep breath. "It's just that I also know the last time I see you will be the _last _time I see you."

I nodded. "Yes."

"It was bound to happen eventually, I just hate that it's becoming a reality now."

"Me too."

"But I'll always be there if you need me, okay? You know that, right?"

"I know and the same goes for me. I just want you to promise me one thing."

"Okay."

"I want to see you on my deathbed; assuming that it's a very long time from now and not an accident."

I bit my lip, trying not to think about that. Slowly, I nodded. "I'll be there."

"Thank you," she said and cleared her throat. "So, what are you planning for the wedding?" And just like that we started talking about wedding stuff, putting the painful conversations in the backs of our minds.

* * *

By the time Damon and Alaric came home, I had everything packed and ready; what little of it there was to pack that is. It was hard to say goodbye, but we managed and before we knew it we were in the hotel room. I could smell Jenna and Alaric in there even though the sheets had been changed and it made me smile. The next morning, Lucian arrived to bring our things down the car and we were on our way to New Orleans to pick up Bonnie.

"We're not staying here long are we?" Damon asked as we sat in the back of the car on the way to Bonnie's shop.

"No, why?" I asked.

"Because this town is crawling with witches and in case you've forgotten witches and vampires do not get along."

I snorted. "Oh trust me, I'm well aware."

"So remind me again why we're going to her instead of her coming to us?"

"She wants you to see her shop," I said and smiled at him. "She started this from scratch and she wants to show it off to everyone she can. It'll only be for a few minutes and then it's back to the airport, I promise."

"Okay," he mumbled and reached for my hand.

The rest of the ride was silent. By the time we got there, I was already feeling a little restless. "We might have to eat before I get back on the plane," I said as we got out.

"The fridge will be restocked before we leave Miss Gilbert," Lucian said as he stood outside the driver's side.

I nodded. "Thank you Lucian. We'll only be a minute." With that, I grabbed Damon's hand and led him inside. "Bonnie?" I called out.

"Up here!" she shouted, her voice coming from her apartment upstairs.

"Coming!" I yelled back and began heading for the back. I opened the door and let myself in, stopping short as Damon's hand slipped from mine. I turned and gave him an apologetic look. "Bon, will you invite Damon in?" I asked.

She came into the living room and smiled at us both. "Come in, Damon."

"Thanks," he said and stepped inside. "Nice place Bonnie. Right in the middle of all the action."

She beamed with pride. "Thanks Damon. I'll give you a tour in a minute I'm just putting the finishing touches on my packing."

"Why not just use some magic?" he asked. "Speed things up a bit."

"I tried, but I have too many things on my mind that I kept packing things that I didn't need."

"Go finish up, we'll wait here," I said and plopped down on the couch. I sighed and leaned my head against the back cushion. "I can't wait to be home."

"Mmmm, same here," Damon said as he sat next to me, his lips instantly finding my exposed throat. "A few more hours and we'll be back on our balcony, staring at the ocean as I-"

"Alright, done," Bonnie said coming back into the living room. She frowned as Damon pulled away, smirking at her. "Seriously guys?"

I laughed and got up again. "Why don't we each grab some stuff and while I help Lucian load the car, you can give Damon a tour, okay?" With a nod from both of them, we set about to do just that.

* * *

The first step out of the airplane into the fresh air of Italy was like breathing for the first time. It felt safe and reassuring and I was more than glad to be back. Once we were out of the hanger, Bonnie's eyes went wide and I couldn't help but laugh. I took her hand and smiled widely at her. "Isn't it gorgeous? And it gets even better. When we're not so jet lagged I promise to take you shopping."

"I'm sure there's a spell that will take the jet lag away," she said, still taking in the scenery.

"Yes, well, as much as I love hearing the two of you make plans to shop til you drop, I do have to remind you both that two of us have to feed. The blood bags won't hold for much longer; not after the twenty-four hours of traveling that we just did."

I sighed and looked at Damon. "You're right." I looked at Bonnie then. "But we can't just leave her all alone. And I really don't want to spend the night in the city."

"I'll hang around here if you guys want to-"

Before she could finish her statement, Bonnie was interrupted by Lucian. "We have already taken care of the arrangements," he said, nodding his head to the car that was sitting in the hanger. I had just assumed that was the one we would be taking to the house. The doors opened and out came a couple. They immediately walked towards Damon and I and exposed their throats. "They are willing donors so I would refrain from killing them if you could."

Damon looked at Lucian with an arched brow. "This has Simon written all over it."

Lucian only smirked in response.

"I'll be in the car," Bonnie said, already halfway there.

I looked at Damon and then at the man who had approached me. "Thank you," I said, looking him in the eye.

"My pleasure," he replied and closed his eyes.

I moved forward and let my fangs drop. The moment his blood touched my tongue I realized exactly how hungry I was. I drank deep and stopped when I felt his heart begin to slow down. I moved back and licked my lips of excess blood. I saw Damon do the same and then watched as the couple moved to another car. I looked at Damon and smiled softly. "Let's go home."

* * *

The three of us stood there, staring up at the mansion. It was the dead of night and Lucian had just left. We wanted to move, but the notion of actually being home was starting to feel more like a dream than it was reality. It was then that I felt something was off. I looked at Damon. "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?" he asked, his eyes flickering to Bonnie.

I looked between the two of them. "Okay, first with Anna and Jer and now with Bonnie. Damon, what-"

"You know that present I spent so much time tracking down?"

"Yes."

"It's inside."

I felt my eyes widen and I smiled. "Well in that case," I said and headed towards the door. I stopped dead in my tracks as it opened and I had to blink several times before my mind registered what I was seeing. "Stefan?"

"I figured having my best man around would make it easier to have an excuse when the two of you started really planning out the wedding," Damon said.

I was frozen in my tracks, but Stefan moved towards me. "Elena. Nice to see you."

He grunted when I surged forward, lunging at him with all my strength. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"I'm glad you wanted me here."

"Of course I wanted you here," I said, squeezing him. "I just didn't know if you-"

"Sh," he said. "I'll forgive and forget if you will."

"Deal," I replied and let him go. I turned to Damon and moved to kiss him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now let's all go inside and get some sleep," he said. With that, the four of us picked up what we could carry, Bonnie using magic to get the rest. I showed Bonnie to the room she would be staying in, gave Stefan another hug, then followed Damon into our room. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.


	13. Chapter 13

**a/n: Oh wow, I can't believe I actually finished this one! I meant to include more about the actual wedding, but when it came down to it, I liked this a lot better. It was simpler and more Delena I think. Anyway, I'm so glad to have been able to share this with you guys and thank you all for reading/reviewing/favoriting! You guys are amazing!**

**I'll be finishing Vices and Virtues next and then working on my other two :) Enjoy!****  
**  
THIRTEEN

The closer it came to December, the faster time seemed to move. No matter how many wedding plans we checked off the list, it felt like nothing was getting done. In fact, it felt like for every thing we checked off, three more popped up. Bonnie was stressed because I was stressed which only made Stefan and Damon more and more afraid of us. Things didn't start slowing down until the guests began to arrive. It was a sign that the end was near and soon, all the madness would go over. While that had it's sadness attached to it, I was more than ready to begin my eternity as Mrs. Salvatore.

Now, with a house full of people three days before the wedding, the nerves were back and tensions were running high.

Damon broke me out of my trance by clearing his throat. I turned my head to look at him. He was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "Look, I know you're stronger than me, but would it kill you to flinch a little when you drink that?" he teased, nodding the glass of his favorite scotch in my hands.

I looked down and then back at him, this time with a challenging smirk on my face. I raised the glass to my lips and let the liquor burn its way down my throat; not flinching in the slightest.

"Cruel," he muttered before coming to sit by me. He stared out at the water as I had been doing. The past few weeks I had been using our private balcony as an escape from everything else. "You've been out here for a long time you know."

"Have I?" I asked.

He nodded and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," I said and set the glass on the table beside me. "Just needed a break."

"You're the one that invited them to stay with us," he reminded me, grinning smugly.

"Yeah yeah," I muttered and laid my head on his shoulder. "I thought your friend Simon was coming too?"

"He is," he assured me. "He won't be here until the time is right."

"We're getting married in three days," I said, my voice flat.

"He likes to keep people on his toes."

I pulled back to look at him, a smile on my lips. "He is aware that I killed all of the Originals, right?"

"He's aware," Damon answered, smiling as I put my head back on his shoulder. "Don't worry, he'll be here."

We were silent for a little while, both of us watching the waves and enjoying each other's company. I cleared my throat and started the conversation I knew he wasn't going to like. "You know I love you, right?"

"And here I thought you were just marrying me for my money," he quipped. I smacked him playfully and then pulled away so I could face him. "What's this about?" he asked, his voice turning serious.

"There's something I want you to do for me."

His eyes blazed with mischief as he tilted his head to the side. "I'm not sure I know where you're going with this."

I bit my lower lip and got to me feet. "Well, there's this tradition..."

"Which one?"

"The one where the groom doesn't see the bride before the wedding." His silence and stony look told me he understood now. "It would only be until the wedding is over," I added.

"But we'll still be living in the same house."

I wanted to laugh at his pouty expression. "I'm not asking you to keep yourself locked in a room, Damon. I'm just asking that the night before the ceremony, you sleep in another room. That way I can get ready and truly surprise you when I walk down the aisle."

That mischievous look in his eyes reached his lips, pulling them into a sinfully delicious smirk. "I think you should convince me to do this," he said, his voice dripping with challenge.

My brow rose and I inclined my head. Slowly, I made my way to him and straddled him, cupping his face once my body was covering his. I let one hand slide down his chest and cup him through his jeans. His eyes fluttered and his jaw ticked, softening only when my lips sought his. It was as if in the split second our lips made contact, it awoke the beast within us both. With being so absorbed in the wedding plans, I had been a little neglecting in this department, something that I was going to make up for tonight.

He wasted no time in heating up the kiss, his hands grabbing my hips as hard as he could. I brought my hand back up so that I could work at the buttons on his shirt. I knew it was one of his favorites which was the only reason I didn't just tear it from him. I shifted my hips, making him groan as my jean clad core rubbed over his hardened member. A slight growl came from his throat as he surged forward, pining my back against the railing of the balcony. I moaned low in my throat as the wrought iron ledge dug into my now bare back as Damon pressed his body as close as he could to mine and kissed me harder.

My lips detached from his abruptly, moving to his throat before he had time to complain. My mouth trailed over his collar bone and down to his chest as I sank to my knees in front of him. I looked up at him as I began to undo his jeans. Slowly, I pushed the remnants of his clothes to the ground and just as I went to take him into my mouth, Damon pulled me back up and turned me around. I gasped slightly from the sudden action which was followed by an equally fast removal of my jeans. I barely had time to process it all before Damon slid into me.

We both let out a groan of pleasure as he buried himself completely and stilled for a moment. He waited until I rotated my hips to begin and before I knew it, he was thrusting into me; no holds barred. I gripped the ledge of the balcony and met Damon with each stroke. I tossed my head back and moaned his name. I had almost forgotten how he could make me feel.

I gasped in surprise again as Damon spun me around to face him and lifted me up by my hips. The same moment he slammed my back against the wall of the house, he was back inside me, his lips pressed to my neck. The mix of pleasure and pain was more than enough to send me over the edge. With one hand on the back of his head, I tipped mine back and gave in to my release. Damon's fangs slid into my throat, sending me higher and allowing him to come with me.

When we came back to reality, I leaned down and pressed my forehead to his. "Convincing enough for you?" I whispered.

He chuckled and in a blur we were on the bed. "Not even close," he teased in return and captured my lips.

* * *

I stood in front of the mirror, watching Bonnie run circles around me as she put the final touches on my hair, makeup, and accessories. She was making me dizzy. Just when I thought I would snap at her, someone knocked on the door and I let out a sigh of relief as she went to open the door. "What?" she snapped.

I turned and smiled at Stefan as he smirked at her. "I just wanted to speak to Elena before she walks down the aisle."

Bonnie drew a deep breath and put on her "no" face, but I spoke first. "Bon, could you give us a minute?"

She cleared her throat and nodded stiffly. "I'll go grab a drink and be right back," she assured me and closed the door behind her.

"She's more uptight than you are."

"It's a maid of honor thing."

"No, I'm sure it's just Bonnie. You weren't like this at Jenna's wedding."

Both of our smiles disappeared as we remembered Jenna's wedding. More specifically where Velken had ended my undead life. I cleared my throat and shook my head against the memories. "Anyway. What did you want to talk about?"

His eyes scanned me from head to toe and back again very slowly. It was almost as if he were ingraining me on his memory. "You look perfect," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice and his eyes once they finally met mine. "I always assumed that when I saw you in a wedding dress, you would be walking down that aisle to become Mrs. Stefan Salvatore."

I wasn't quite sure what to say to that, so I waited for him to continue.

"I know it was wrong and foolish, but I kept waiting for Damon to mess up and do something truly evil and let you see who he really was so that you would come back to me, but it never happened." He stopped and smirked at me. "You're just as bad as he is, you know?"

I smiled widely. "I know."

"I'm sorry for everything; for ever hurting you at all."

"I am too," I said and moved forward to take his hands in mine. "But that's all in the past, okay? I meant what I said the day Anya brought me back. Everything before that day is water under the bridge."

"Yes, but I was still in love with you then," he said, his eyes locking with mine. "For the first time in a decade, I can finally look you in the eye and say that I'm over you. I love you, but I'm not _in_ love with you. Not anymore."

I smiled and blinked to keep back the tears. "I love you too, Stefan. I always will."

"You know, when the two of you announced your engagement, I always thought I would feel jealous and hate being here, but now, I just want you to be happy. Both of you, together."

I squeezed his hands and nodded. "You're all the family he has left so don't you dare be a stranger, okay? It'll be the five of us for all eternity."

He nodded back and raised one of my hands to his lips. He pressed a soft kiss onto the back of my hand and beamed at me. "Let's go get you married."

* * *

The moment I took John's hand, I began to tremble with anticipation. All day I had been calm and it was as if all the nerves I had been keeping bottled up were finally catching up to me. As we approached the back of the aisle, everyone stood up and my eyes immediately locked with Damon's. He was staring back at me with awe and wonder and a hint of mischief as usual. The music started and John and I began our walk to the altar. It was a short walk given that there weren't a lot of guests, but it still felt like it took forever to get there.

John let go of my hand and kissed my cheek before taking his seat. I moved to stand beside Damon and then turned to face Simon, the man who had shown up only an hour ago to officiate the ceremony. He smirked at both Damon and I and then began his speech. The entire time he talked, I was too busy stealing glimpses at Damon. I wanted nothing more than to reach over and touch him, but I had promised myself we would save all of that for after the reception.

When it came time to recite our vows, Damon and I turned to face each other. "It all started with a girl. She led us down a path of misery and deceit; one that I never thought I would get out of. Then one day, there was a light at the end of the tunnel and there you were. Our path to each other was a hard one, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I would give my life for you; whatever it takes to keep you safe because you're mine forever and always."

It was short, but it was perfect. It summed up everything and it made me laugh inside because I knew he was keeping it simple so that the ceremony would end faster. He took my hand to slide the ring onto my finger and I couldn't help but shiver a little from his touch.

Then it was my turn.

"I thought I had life figured out; high school, college, career, family, but none of that really panned out. My parents died and I became someone different. It wasn't until you came around that I started being myself again and I don't know where I would be without you either. We've been through so much and I know we can handle whatever eternity has in store for us. The two of us together are invincible; always have been, always will be."

I placed the ring on his finger and we both stayed still, waiting for our favorite part. "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," Simon said, his voice deep and soothing.

Like magnets, Damon and I were brought together in the blink of an eye. His arms were around me and mine were around his shoulders, pulling him close. Our lips met and our guests cheered us on. I smiled into the kiss and opened my eyes for a split second to see that he was doing the same. "Now you're officially Mrs. Salvatore," he whispered against my lips.

"Forever and always," I replied and kissed him again, thus kicking off the beginning of our eternity of marriage.


End file.
